At Least We Have Forever
by Linnea Farhen
Summary: I was born to fight a different battle; one that changed me and the life I knew. But I know I'm also doing this to defy the cards dealt by my fate. Now the battle that I have to fight for doesn't only concern me but also the life of the man I love. I know I'm fighting this battle so that a curse and our separate destinies won't take you away from me forever, Kurama... KuramaOC
1. Beneath The Silent Snow

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Miyuzaki Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Author's Note:** This is actually my first fanfic for this anime and somehow, I really wanted to start it off with Kurama as the main character plus an OC, of course. The story plot just came to me recently while I was reading a novelette at home… more particularly, a love story. And I got some romantic inspirations while I was watching the anime Kimi Ni Todoke, in which I somehow love because of the story plot. In any case, please do tell me what you think of the first chapter by reviewing to this. Happy reading, everyone! Enjoy! ^_^

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**Beneath The Silent Snow**

* * *

The sun had only half-risen from the horizon when the sound of the ringing alarm clock broke the silence of a particular bedroom. And that ringing sound caused a certain maiden to be awakened from her slumber.

Or so it seemed like it.

To be honest, that black-haired maiden was already awake for more than an hour before the clock rang. And it was only four AM when she woke up. Well, there's a reason for her waking up earlier that what she had planned.

_I've dreamed of that one again,_ she thought and then she sighed before getting up from her bed and turning off her alarm clock. She then turned on the night lamp and opened the window after she drew the curtains. She smiled sadly when she laid her eyes on the rising sun.

Certain thoughts came rushing inside her mind the moment she had laid her sight on the sun. All of which were connected to the dreams that she's having these past few days.

But before she could think about it thoroughly, several knocks on the door disrupted the flow of her thoughts. And that made her glance at the door.

"Riya-chan, it's time for you to wake up! You'll be late for your flight!" a woman said from outside the room.

She barely smiled as she approached the door and opened it for the woman to know that she's already awake. "I'm already awake, Saeko-san. In fact, I woke up more than an hour ago."

The woman named Saeko looked at Riya with worries in her eyes. "Are you sure you'll be alright? You've only slept for three hours."

"I'll be fine, Saeko-san. I guess I could sleep better when I get there." And then Riya smiled at the woman.

Saeko sighed and faced her. "Alright, if you say so then. Be sure to get ready so could eat your breakfast before you leave." She nodded and closed the door afterwards.

Her face turned solemn once again and gazed outside the window. But then after a while, something caught her attention from the side of her purple eyes. And this made her froze to her spot in a way.

_That's…_ But then she couldn't continue what she wanted to say. Instead, he walked towards that certain something and she was somehow stunned when she finally had a look at it. _I was right! It was my diary… My first diary from five years ago._ She reluctantly took it from the empty bookshelf.

There's a reason for her having an empty bookshelf but her attention wasn't exactly focused to it. It was already on the diary that she was currently holding on as her hand began to shiver.

"I thought I lost this many years ago…" she muttered and then she began opening it, flipping the blank page to let the second page show where the words were started to be written. She smiled bitterly as she read the words written there. "And to think I would find this on the day that I would leave this place…"

That's right. She's leaving. And that house that actually belonged to her paternal great-grandfather would be left in the care of her cousins and her Aunt Saeko just until she comes back.

If she ever comes back, that is…

She rashly shook her head in hopes of dispelling the negative thoughts rushing into her mind. And then she began reading the words written there carefully.

_December 24__th__ – Christmas Eve_

_Winter time… This was the first and last time that I met him._

_I was heading home fast so that Mom and Onii-chan wouldn't scold me for being in the cold snow for so long. I just went to the grocery store to buy the other things needed for the celebration of Christmas and, of course, a gift wrapper. I can't believe I forgot to buy one yesterday. I thought it would be just a simple Christmas Eve like the rest. _

_But then I met him—the handsome boy with red hair and green eyes—everything around my world changed at that one instant… A change that I would forever keep here in my heart…_

_In any case, this is what really happened…_

And as she continued to read, memories regarding that time started flooding her mind. Memories that she had been dreaming for the past few days…

* * *

**_Five years ago, Christmas Eve; Hokkaido, Japan_**

_The snow kept on falling slowly down to the ground, covering the earth like a thick white blanket. Not only covering the earth white but also making the temperature colder than anything else._

_Plants, most especially the trees, shed their leaves to somehow withstand the cold temperature of the winter season. Rivers and lakes froze due to this reason, as well._

_But even still, the winter season was very much enjoyed by almost everyone. Among them was a black-haired girl named Riya Miyuzaki…_

…_though she never realized it at first. She only did when that single meeting change it all._

_She was running fast but steady in order for her not to slip as she ran towards her house, carrying two plastic bags on each hand. When she stopped running to take a rest for a short while as she placed the bags on the ground, she glanced at her wristwatch and checked the time. Her eyes widened after that._

"_Oh no! I'll be late! Mom would scold me, for sure," she exclaimed and took some heavy breaths before bending down to grab her stuffs. But then, she saw something from the side of her eyes. She wasn't sure about it but it definitely caught her interest. Whatever it was, she couldn't tell._

_That certain something was actually covered by the snow but it still left a mark, as if saying something like "Hey, look at me! I'm only covered in snow but I'm still here!" to her. And somehow, she got the message of it._

_She placed the bags she's carrying down to the ground again and crouched down to have a better look at the snow-covered "item". But then she frowned as she touched it and removed the snow covering it. And she was surprise to see what was underneath that small blanket of white snow._

"_A rose?" she muttered and then she slowly touched it. "It's warm… as if it hasn't faced the worst weather of the year. That's weird. How could a rose like this one managed to survive the winter season without getting wilted. It's like…" But then she stopped muttering when she figured out that she couldn't find the right word to describe the situation._

_And that got her into thinking._

"_I think it's like an all-year round kind of rose. One that could survive in any type of weather, worst or best," a voice suddenly said that she knew was coming from behind her._

_That somehow startled her and made her turn to look and have a glance at the person who just spoke. Only to get surprised to see that a red-haired boy was just behind her and worse (or not), their faces were too close._

_She had a look of many green eyes most of her life but only a few were as expressive as the ones in front of her, locked to her amethyst ones. It's not only the eyes, but also his face._

_His handsome face that was somehow unique from the ones she saw before._

_She was snapped out from her musings when the boy she's looking at smiled at her in a friendly manner. It definitely caught her off guard and made her fall down on her butt. Subconsciously, she caught the boy's arm to get support and to prevent herself from completely lying down but it seemed that it didn't give her help. That's because he soon followed her and they both landed on the cold white snow._

_Riya touched the back of her head and groaned. But then she looked at her side and was surprised to see the boy fell, his face buried to the snow._

"_Oh no! Are you hurt?" she exclaimed and then got up to approach the boy. But before she could touch him, he moved and got up all by himself. He sat on the ground despite the cold snow and faced her with a smile. "I'm sorry. I guess I was surprised when I suddenly saw you behind me," she said in an apologetic tone without looking at his face._

_But the expected angry or harsh words to counter what she had done never came that rendered her surprised and a bit nervous. When she looked up to see the red-haired boy's expression, she saw him smiled to her calmly. And that smile somehow eased her worries in mind about the incident. That made her return the gesture and looked at the rose just beside her. The boy also looked at the said flower._

"_I've never seen a rose that managed to withstand cold winter before," she commented and then reverting her gaze to the boy. "Have you seen one before?"_

"_That flower actually belonged to me," the boy stated. "I planted it here a year ago as a part of an experiment. I guess it turned out to be a success in the end."_

_She was amazed when she heard that. "Really? That's amazing. Where did you find this kind of flower, anyway?"_

_But the boy only smiled mysteriously. "It's a secret that I mustn't reveal to the others. And that includes you."_

"_Is that so?" she said. In a way, she wasn't really disappointed by the boy's answer. She just smiled again in conjunction to her response, saying that it's alright and she understood._

_And then she looked at her wristwatch, only to be surprised to see the time. "Oh, crap! My mom's going to be mad when I come home late, for sure!" And she began standing up and picking the bags she left a while back before facing the boy. "I'm sorry. I really need to go home."_

_But before she started running her back, she heard the boy spoke._

"_Then take this with you," she said that made her stop to her tracks and looked at him._

_She then saw him plucked the rose that they found before approaching her, handing the flower to her._

"_I guess I could give this to you as a remembrance of our meeting here, even though it would be for the first and last time," he solemnly said as he was looking in her eyes._

_Hesitantly, she took it from his hand and from there, she saw that the rose was actually silver in color. She looked at him with questions in her eyes._

"_But this is your experiment," she reasoned out but all she got was a warm smile as a response. And then he left her pondering as to what that smile was for._

"_Just keep it. It won't wilt, I can assure you that," he said as he began to walk away from her._

"_Wait!" she shouted. And that stopped the boy from his tracks. She saw him turned around to look at her. She heaved a heavy sigh in order to calm herself before she spoke. "May I know your name, at the very least?"_

"_What for? You're not planning on finding me, are you?" he said calmly while smiling._

"_Of course not!" she blurted. "I just wanted to know the identity of the person who gave this magic flower to me." And then unknowingly, she blushed._

"_Magic… huh?" he uttered in a soft tone but still, it's loud enough for her to hear it. "I guess you could say that." He sighed before facing her. "It's Shuichi." And then he began to run away, leaving her standing on that spot as she looked at him disappear from her sight._

_Despite the cold weather, she smiled and looked at the silver rose on her hand. She placed it on her chest as she pondered on the words that the boy just said. And after a while, she smiled before facing the direction that the boy named Shuichi had gone to._

"_Thank you… Shuichi-kun…" __**I'll take care of this flower until the day fate would let our paths cross once again.**__ And after that, she finally left that place._

_But that event had unknowingly but definitely left a mark in one corner of her heart at that time. One that she never knew would unveil the path of her fate and destiny…_

* * *

…_All I know was that his name was Shuichi-kun. But then it's okay. Even though I only met him once, I know that his name, his face, his voice and his smile had remained inside my heart up until now. I have to admit that I'm terrible when in comes to remembering names once in a while. But somehow, the name 'Shuichi' remained intact as time went by._

_Christmas… I guess I could say that in a way, Santa gave me one of the best gifts ever. And Shuichi-kun's only proof of existence in my life remained on the magic rose. I promised that I will keep it beside me… until I could finally return it back to him as a solid proof that I treasured our short-term friendship beneath the silent snow of that particular winter season…_

She sighed after remembering that.

Like what she had written in her diary five years ago, the magic rose was still in her possession. Shuichi had been true to his words. The rose never wilted; its sheer beauty from the first glance never faded as time passed. That's one reason she called it a magic rose.

She took something from her bed, particularly beside her pillow. It was the magic silver rose from that time, placed in a small glass case big enough for the flower's size.

And she could say that she stayed true to her words, as well. The rose would stay with her until she met Shuichi once again.

And when would that happen?

Only fate knew that. All she could do was to wait for him.


	2. A Fated Meeting

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Miyuzaki Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Author's Note:** I guess the first chapter's not exactly good but even still, thank you for those who added this story to their favorites and alerts. And surprisingly, someone made me his/her favorite author (sorry, I couldn't actually identify the gender). So thank you for that. This chapter is the part where Riya and Kurama meet for the first time. And somehow, Riya will be having problems regarding something. Just tell me what you think of this chapter. I'm not really sure if I could make this story as good as I want to but I'll try. I hope I could make my characters, especially Riya, good for Kurama. ^_^

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**A Fated Meeting**

* * *

**_The next day…_**

Kurama slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for quite some time before he was able to remember what he had dreamed last night. It had always been the same dream that started last month. Every night, he could see her smiling face, hear her rather lovely voice and look at her purple eyes that sparkle like amethysts.

_That girl I've met five years ago… Why did I dream about her? It's already been a month since I started dreaming about her. And it's always the same… It's always about the winter day I first and last met her._

He sighed heavily and winced before getting up from his bed. He opened the windows after he drew open the curtains. Then he faced the sun that had barely risen up to the sky.

He looked at his alarm clock and it appeared that he woke up thirty minutes earlier than his regular wake up time. And seriously, this was unlikely him at all. But what else could he do? That dream was somehow bothering him in a way for days now and Yusuke had noticed it. Though he's not telling them about the dream at all.

No one knew that he had that kind of dreams except him. And he had no plans of telling them about it no matter what.

Several knocks on the door snapped him out from his musings and returned his mind to reality. "Yes?"

"Shuichi, are you already awake?" a familiar voice called out from outside his bedroom. It was his mother—or rather his human mother—Minamino Shiori that he loved so much.

He smiled before he answered. "Yes, I am, Mom. I'll be down there as soon as I'm finished fixing myself to get ready for school."

"Alright, then." And then he heard footsteps walking away from that place.

He heaved a heavy sigh before he began getting ready for school. But still, he couldn't help feeling something inside his chest that made him quite uneasy. He knew it has something to do with his recent dreams. But he couldn't tell what.

Whatever it was, he was quite sure of one thing. It will happen very soon.

* * *

Riya smiled as she looked at herself in front of the mirror while wearing her brand new uniform. Starting today, she will be officially transferred to Hanasakura Academy. The white and dark blue uniform she was wearing was actually from that school. She was actually wearing a long-sleeved white blouse with a red bow, a dark blue blazer having the school's logo and a pleated skirt matching the blazer's color. From what she had heard, the boys were wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, a black tie, a dark blue coat with school logo, and tailored trousers matching the coat's color.

And honestly, it does look good on her no matter where she looked at it.

She giggled at the sudden thought that ran in her mind. But then her face turned solemn all of a sudden when she remembered the real reason why she left Hokkaido. It's a good thing that a relative of hers managed to find an apartment for her to stay in for the time being.

_Just until I finished what I have to do_, she thought and then she sighed. But then before she became even more depressed, her thoughts were disrupted when she heard the front door creaked open.

She wasn't felt threatened since she knew who had the spare key to her apartment. In the first place, that person was the one who found that apartment space for her. She faced the mirror once more and when she was satisfied with her looks, she went out of the room.

When she opened the door, she smiled when she found a familiar woman preparing some plates on the dining table. When the woman looked up, she smiled at Riya and approached her.

"You sure looks beautiful in that uniform, Riya-chan," the woman said with a smile.

That woman happened to be—

"Thank you, Atsuko-obasan." And then she sat on one of the chair as Atsuko sat on the opposite side, just in front of her. "I'm sorry for making you do this, Obasan."

"It's okay, Riya-chan. Besides, I promised to your mother that I'll take care of you in her place. I couldn't afford to let my sister worry so much for your welfare," Atsuko said in a somewhat determined tone.

All she could do was to stay silent because of that. Atsuko was, in reality, her maternal aunt. And to make story short, she's actually Yusuke's cousin.

"I could only hope that I'm not disturbing you because of this." And then she remembered something. "But Obasan, does Yusuke—"

Atsuko immediately shook her head. "No, he doesn't know that you transferred here from Hokkaido and that you live here. Though he figured out that someone moved in here yesterday. And before I came here, that son of mine already left for school. Keiko-chan came here to pick him up."

She frowned. "Keiko-chan? You mean Yukimura Keiko-chan?"

Atsuko smiled slyly and then nodded. "I wonder when would those two end up together."

"I guess in the near future if they keep it up." And then she laughed at her own statement. Her aunt soon followed.

That morning continued with Riya and Atsuko having breakfast before she finally left for her new school.

Of course, she wished that this place would somehow bring her a new life she was wishing for… ever since a tragedy suddenly changed the course of her life.

* * *

**_Hanasakura Academy…_**

Here she was. She was slightly panting when she reached the school. Man, it was even grander than her previous school back in Hokkaido. She stood straight before she took a look at her wristwatch. And she showed a faint smile when she saw that she somehow made it twenty-five minutes before the time for classes to start.

And with that in mind, she hurried to the principal's office where her homeroom teacher was somehow waiting for her.

A few introductions had been done and after that, she and her teacher went together to their classroom. But she couldn't figure out something while both of them walked together. Her heart was beating fast that was somehow telling her about something that might be happening soon. In a way, she could tell that it would be unexpected but she couldn't entirely tell if it would be good or bad.

But when trusting her instincts, she could tell that it might be bad… just like _before_.

"We're here," Miss Ryuuzaki announced that made her stop from her tracks. She then noticed that they were really outside a classroom. Class 2-C, it says. That made her faced the teacher. "I'll be calling you after doing certain introductions. Okay?"

Riya nodded and then she saw the teacher entered the classroom. But the uneasy feeling inside her chest caused by the rapid beating of her heart hadn't really left her. She stared at the door as she could hear the teacher talked to the students inside.

* * *

"Good morning, everyone!" Miss Ryuuzaki greeted to the students that made them put their attention to the teacher.

Among those students was Kurama. Well, he was actually known as Minamino Shuichi by most of the humans he interacted with ever since. He had just finished reading a certain book when his homeroom teacher entered the classroom.

"Well, as I've announced yesterday, we're going to have a new transfer student. And that means you're going to have a new classmate starting today," the teacher said before facing the door. "Miyuzaki-san, you can come in now," she called out. And then the door opened and from there, a maiden with long shiny black hair done in a single braid and having a pair of amethyst orbs entered the room.

For a while, Kurama was smitten by the appearance of the new student that seemed so… familiar in a way. He couldn't remove the thought that somewhere, he might have met her. But then he thought that it might be true in some way. He looked up and then he saw something in the maiden's eyes. And before he could have given it a name, the teacher spoke again after writing the transfer student's name on the chalkboard.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Miyuzaki Riya from Hanazono All-Girls' Academy in Hokkaido."

The maiden named Riya gave a bow to the students in front of her.

"I'm Miyuzaki Riya, sixteen years old. Nice to meet you," she said.

Kurama frowned. How can that be? Her voice was also familiar but it would appear that it would be stuck at the back of his mind for the time being just until he could finally remember something related to that.

He then saw the teacher's sight scanned the room, probably to find a vacant seat for the new student. And then to his slight surprise, the teacher's sight landed behind him that made him look at the back.

And that's when he remembered that the seat behind him had been vacant for three weeks now since the student who used to seat there had been transferred to study in America.

"You should sit behind Minamino-kun. That seat is vacant," the teacher announced and pointed the seat she was talking about. The girl Riya complied and then she walked towards the aisle leading to the seat behind Kurama.

When his sight somehow landed on hers, their gazes unexpectedly locked that made him feel his surroundings change. It's as if he could feel that only he and Riya were existing in that place. He knew it was just a fleeting moment that had passed but it somehow felt like it had gone for hours. It was new to him and he doesn't even know how to deal with it.

But that fleeting moment was more than enough for him to give a name to the emotion he saw in Riya's eyes a while back.

_Sadness… that's what I saw in her eyes. But… it somehow felt different. It was like a medium for her to say "Save me" in a silent way…_ he thought as he tried to look behind him. And from there, he saw those emotions again but it instantly faded. It's as if she put an expressionless mask already to hide those emotions lingering in her eyes.

He knew, for a normal person, it would be hard to see the immediate change. But since he had somehow studied her actions for just a short time, even though he got caught in her purple eyes, he could already tell that she's somewhat an expert in keeping her emotions hidden to the public.

Just like right now, he couldn't even see in her face about anything that she's probably thinking. He then sighed mentally before facing Miss Ryuuzaki who was already beginning her lecture.

He could just hope his concentration wouldn't be mislead by certain thoughts.

* * *

**_Lunch time…_**

Students began to step out of their classroom just after the school bell rang, while some decided to stay there for reasons like they like to eat their lunch in the classroom and the like. Well, among those "some" were Riya and Kurama.

Both of them just stayed on their seats doing one thing: reading a thick book. But even if they don't talk to each other, Kurama already noticed something on their surroundings. And for some reason, he doesn't really like his observation.

With sharp eyes and ears, he used those to observe his classmates' treatment to the transfer student. And he heard that they don't actually like Riya, that's why she's not really felt welcomed by the class. He doesn't know why they don't like her since he could sense that there's nothing wrong with her at all.

But he couldn't just guess for reasons not until he looked for answers.

That's when one of his classmates, Kirisawa Ayako, approached him. And he noticed that she actually glared at the unknowing Riya.

"Say, Minamino-kun, do you already have a partner for our Literature project?" Ayako asked while smiling. "I couldn't actually find a suitable partner for the project. And I was wondering if it would be okay for you to be my project partner."

Kurama smiled but to be honest, deep within his mind, that spelled trouble. He knew Ayako to be opportunistic, both in good and bad ways. And he doesn't want to be a part of the long line of people that she had befriended and left betrayed in the end. Besides, he didn't have to be forced just to find themselves a partner for a certain project. For some reason, he figured out that Miss Ryuuzaki asked them to do a Literature project by partners in order for Riya to be able to make new friends.

But it appeared that she would fail. And he wouldn't allow that to happen.

That's when he faced Ayako. "I would love to, Kirisawa-san, but you see—" he paused before side-glancing… to Riya's direction. "—I already chose someone to be my project partner. I hope you don't mind."

"I see." Though Ayako was smiling, he could see disappointment in her eyes. And yet again, she side-glanced to Riya before throwing her a glare… which actually sounded like a big trouble for the transfer student.

When he glanced at Riya, he saw her stood up and left her seat with the book she's reading on her hand.

_She's really avoiding something… huh?_ He thought as he let Riya slowly disappear from his sight.

_Or probably someone…_ a part of his mind said that made him slightly frowned. And with that thought in mind, an idea suddenly flicked in it.

Of course, he knew that it would not be easy since he could see that it would be a tough job just by judging Riya's action towards people. But her eyes actually made him drawn to her in some way. By using the idea of making her his project partner for their project in Literary class, he could have a reason to get to know her more.

Without looking and paying attention to Ayako who was still in front of him, he stood up and left his seat to follow Riya. He'll start his idea the soonest possible time, before Ayako or any of his classmates do something that might hurt Riya in any way.

And for reasons he couldn't define, he felt that he wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to her. Not while he's determined to get close to her and get to know her in the process…

…in which he found weird.

* * *

**_Rooftop…_**

Riya inhaled the soft blowing wind and closed her eyes to feel the breeze. And somehow, it made her feel calm. It's a good thing she decided to leave the classroom before the girl named Ayako could actually eat her alive for some reasons.

It's just like what she had predicted…only this one was even worse that what she had experienced way back home.

_I guess I don't really fit in every place I go to_, she thought sadly. And before her eyes could let her tears to finally fall, she pulled something from her small bag she's carrying.

It was the Snow Rose that Shuichi gave to her. Whenever she was looking at it, especially during the times when she felt some negative emotions as she grew up, it was the Snow Rose that actually helped her feel calm and happy in a way. Well, it was because she could see Shuichi's smiling face when he gave the flower to her. even though she couldn't meet him, she's willing to wait for him to return and take the rose back.

She named the flower Snow Rose since she discovered it together with Shuichi under a blanket of snow five years ago. It was the flower's other name beside the Magic Rose. But no matter what the name of the flower was, she couldn't deny that it had become a medium for her to realize that magic does happen anywhere. And Shuichi made her realize that.

She placed the glass case back into the bag after a while of looking at it. That's the time when she heard the door just a few meters behind her creaked open. It somehow distracted the flow of her thoughts that's why she turned around.

But what she saw somehow rendered her surprise and made her utter a name she was just thinking about a while back. But was it really possible that it's him?

"Shuichi…kun...?" she uttered in a soft yet surprised tone.

Kurama frowned as soon as he saw the surprised look on Riya's face after he opened the door. But what caught him off guard was the word—or rather the name—that she uttered.

_Wait a minute! Did she just call me by my first name? I know I haven't introduced myself to her yet. So… how?_


	3. To Know Her More

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya Miyuzaki and other OC's of this story, though.

**Author's Note:** There might be some confusions here with regards to how should I call Kurama. This might give the explanation: when Riya's perception (third person POV) and thought were involved, she would regard to Kurama as Shuichi since that's how she met and know him. When it comes to Kurama's perception and thoughts (third person POV, as well), I'll be using his real name.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**To Know Her More**

* * *

"Shuichi…kun...?" Riya uttered in a soft yet surprised tone. And when she realized that, she clamped her mouth with her hand before turning her back from the man a few meters away from him.

_Why in the world did I call him Shuichi-kun just now?_ She couldn't help but ask that to herself. And when she tried to remember her reaction earlier, that's when she realized why did she call her classmate Shuichi. _That's right. I remember it now. He has the same hair color and eyes as the Shuichi-kun whom I've met before. But… it can't be him… _she said to herself and then she sighed before facing him. _This guy is not the Shuichi-kun from five years ago… and I'm sure of it…_

But then her eyes widened when she saw him just a few feet away from her position. Okay, that's definitely weird on her part. How come she didn't hear him walk towards her? Was she really thinking too deeply for her not to notice or even sense him coming towards her?

She was caught off guard when she saw him smile. And because of that, she felt her cheeks burning. Well, who wouldn't be? Here she was on the rooftop alone with a handsome guy that somewhat looked a lot similar to the boy from her past. But then she guessed that Shuichi and this guy in front of her was just similar when it comes to physical appearance in some way.

But there's no way that Shuichi and this guy were the same person.

Kurama, on the other hand, was still curious to know why Riya suddenly turned her back from him a while back and why did she call him by his first name—his human name, that is.

"Why are you here? Aren't you going to eat your lunch?" he asked her after giving her a smile. He figured that he should at least be friendly to her if he wanted to get close to her.

She avoided her stares but she noticed that he was walking towards her in order for him to get close. And for some reasons, she couldn't even move an inch away from him. She could feel that her feet were somehow stuck on that position, as if preventing her to avoid him.

And since she couldn't actually argue with that, she just heaved a sigh before answering his question.

"I don't have the appetite, to be honest," she said without looking at him. "And besides, I couldn't eat when I'm just alone and some of our classmates treated me as if I did something bad to them."

But then, she didn't hear him say anything. And before that, she cursed herself for suddenly saying a lot of things to this guy that she didn't even know except for the fact that he's one of her classmates. Why did she do that, anyway?

She heard him sigh afterwards and that made her look up. And it surprised her to see him just a few inches away from her.

"I don't really know the reason for that, either. But rest assured, I'm not one of them," he said reassuringly that made her heart beat rapidly. It's something that only happened to her ever since she laid her eyes on this man back at the classroom. But then her thoughts were distracted when he spoke again. "By the way, I haven't introduced myself to you yet. Right?" She nodded in response. "My name's Shuichi. Minamino Shuichi."

Her eyes widened when she heard that name. _Shuichi? His name is also Shuichi? Could it be him? Could he be the Shuichi that I've met five years ago? But if that is true, then did he happen to have his hair cut short?_ There's so many questions running inside her head but then…

"Do you happen to have your hair cut short?" she asked that rendered Shuichi skeptic. She never realized that she uttered one of the questions inside her mind.

She looked at Shuichi's green eyes. And she didn't know what to feel when she saw him shook his head. But then she couldn't deny that disappointment was one of the certain emotions that conquered her.

Why would she be disappointed in the first place? She couldn't understand that. And what she couldn't understand even more was the real reason why Shuichi followed her to the rooftop when he could just leave her alone.

"Why did you follow me here, anyway? You could have just left me alone so that you wouldn't get caught by our classmates talking to an outcast of the class. By doing that, you could ruin your good reputation here at school," she said.

She really didn't want to but she has to say it. After all, she finally knew the reputation that Minamino Shuichi had at Hanasakura Academy. But that's just some of the reasons that she had as of now why she wanted him to stay away from her.

"They don't have the rights to dictate whom I should befriend and not," Shuichi said soberly that made her focus her attention to him. "Besides, this is my choice. Whether my good reputation would be ruined or not, if ever I have one—" he paused and chuckled for some seconds. "—it would be their fault why it's ruined because they're the ones who were spreading the rumors. I don't have anything to do with it."

Okay. Now she somehow realized that reputation was the least of Shuichi's concern when it comes to approaching her. "But Minamino-kun—"

"Like I said, it's my choice," he said, stopping her from continuing to speak. "They just have to deal with it. Besides, it's going to be their problem and not mine. So it's okay." And then he smiled once again that made her heart skip a beat this time.

She just sighed as a sign of giving up. But she then realized that she'll never win in any arguments and debates with a smart guy like Shuichi.

_If only he's the Shuichi-kun that I was waiting for a long time…_ She couldn't tell why she's hoping that the Shuichi in front of her now was the Shuichi from five years ago that she had been waiting for.

Kurama could only look at her face after saying his point. He didn't really understand why but from what he could conclude, Riya was pushing him away from her by saying something about reputation and sort. It's true that he's maintaining a good reputation but he could feel that Riya was someone who wouldn't actually do something to ruin someone's reputation.

"Why did you follow me out here, anyway?" he heard her asked that made him quite startled.

It took him a few moments to gather his courage before answering her question. "Do you really want to know the reason?"

But she just raised an eyebrow. He laughed at that. "Alright. I was actually going to ask you to be my project partner for our Literary class."

That definitely surprised her. "Me? Why me?"

"Because I want to be my partner," he simply said.

But that wasn't exactly the answer that she was looking—and eventually, expecting—for.

And somehow, Kurama got the message of that expressionless look on her face. That made him decide to answer her truthfully… somehow. "I know that you'll be an excellent partner and I can see that. When you answered the equation earlier and when you wrote an English essay for our English subject, I know that you'll be a reliable partner. Honestly, I don't want to deal with someone who can't be of help. Or at least that's what I thought when I decided that." He scratched the back of his head after that.

She could see that by looking at Shuichi doing an act like that, she could tell that he definitely looked like a normal teenage boy, a normal person. But from the moment their eyes met, she could tell that he was not. She didn't know why but that's what she could feel from him. And that's one reason for him to stay away from her as much as possible.

But somehow, she couldn't make him… no matter how hard she try. Or maybe she haven't really tried hard enough.

She then tried to look at his eyes and she could see the truth vividly expressed in them. _So he's really telling the truth…_

"Alright, I'll be your partner, then," she declared and without facing Shuichi, she began to walk away from that place. And of course, she passed him by as fast as she could.

Without a word, she finally left. But she couldn't deny that her heart was somewhat… happy. And after a few moments, she smiled while walking away from that place without looking back.

And she didn't realized that Kurama faced to her direction and smiled as she walked away, letting her disappear from his sight once again.

"I guess I could say that this is going to be an exciting school year for me." _It would be even more exciting if you're not trying to push me away from you, Riya._ But that thought only remained in his mind.

* * *

**_Later that day…_**

Yusuke was staying on the rooftop of the school, leisurely lying there. It was already the end of the last period for the day that's why he went there since Botan actually contacted him. According to her, Koenma would be contacting them regarding a new mission for him and the others. Botan would be giving them some of the information and if there were more questions, Koenma would most likely answer them.

But since he lied there waiting for more than thirty minutes, he kept on yawning because of boredom. That's when Kuwabara saw him when the door opened. Along with him was serious-looking Botan.

"It's about time you got here, Botan," Yusuke said lazily as he got up from lying on the floor. "So what about this new mission that Koenma was saying? Was it really serious?" he asked her. But then he frowned when Botan only gave him a sober look that he was not used of. "Botan?"

The blue-haired girl sighed heavily that made it even more suspicious. "Koenma-sama said that he would give you the mission but then we have to wait for Kurama and Hiei to come here, as well."

"We're already here, so you can give the mission's details to us," a familiar voice said that made them look around to know who it was. They weren't surprised to see Hiei and Kurama standing on the top of the fence.

"Kurama. Hiei. What are you doing here?" Yusuke asked as the two approached him.

"We were contacted by Koenma and he said that we should meet up with you today," Kurama answered. "But I could guess that the mission is quite serious just by looking at Botan's face right now."

"You're right," Botan said that made them look at her. "The mission is quite serious since Koenma-sama happened to have received the news about this a while back and he wanted to have you guys solve this before something worse happens."

Hiei didn't say anything regarding that but Kurama saw him frowned. And for that, the shorty most likely…

"Was it about the seven legendary weapons protected on the seven different regions of the Demon World and the Spirit World?"

Botan's eyes widened when Hiei said that. "You know something about it?"

But then, Hiei just kept quiet.

"Seven legendary weapons? What about them?" Kuwabara asked.

But before Botan could say anything, she brought out the brief case and opened it. The screen inside displayed Koenma with a serious-looking face. Only this time, it was different.

"Alright, Koenma! What the heck is going on? What are those seven legendary weapons that Hiei was talking about?" Yusuke asked immediately in a loud tone to somehow break the tense atmosphere. But then he figured out that it was a failure since Koenma's expression didn't change one bit.

They saw Koenma sighed before facing them. "Those seven legendary weapons were some of the treasured and heavily-guarded artifacts of the ancient times and they were being protected on the seven regions of the Demon World and the Spirit World. But these weapons weren't just ordinary artifacts like those stolen by Kurama and Hiei before. These were the weapons that could cause a terrible dimensional distortion once they had clashed into each other."

"That's why they were placed to different regions to avoid that clash," Kurama stated. "But what would be the effect of that dimensional distortion to the Human World?"

"A lot," Koenma said soberly. "Not only to the Human World but to the other realms, as well. The dimensional distortion caused by these weapons could devastatingly destroy the barriers that separated the three realms. And I'm sure you know what will happen once the barriers were destroyed."

Yusuke and the others didn't have to say anything regarding that. As Koenma stated, they already know what will happen once the barriers were destroyed and the result would definitely be devastating.

"So what about those weapons? What do you want us to do about it?" Hiei asked in a rather stern tone, but no one budged to that.

"According to our spies that roamed the seven regions where the legendary weapons were kept, four of the weapons had disappeared without a trace. There were no signs of forced entry on any of the places and vaults where they were kept and protected indicating that the weapons were stolen by force or just simply vanished."

"Seems to me they were transported it using some sort of translocation spell," Kurama commented.

"Yes, we haven't ruled out that possibility but most of the translocation spells were actually leaving a trace of its spiritual energy from the scene where something or someone were teleported. In this case, only the spirit energy from the legendary weapons were left."

Somehow, Yusuke got the point where the information would lead them to. "So you want us to find out the location of the culprit who might have stolen those weapons?"

"It's true that I was planning to ask you do that. But this would be extremely dangerous for all of you, especially since we learned that those four vanished weapons ended up on the Human World."

That definitely made them shocked.

"Is that the reason why you called us?" Hiei asked. For Koenma, it was said as a statement rather than a question. That's why the toddler-looking guy nodded in response.

And then Kuwabara asked something. "What does the four weapons looked like? Do these weapons have names?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, the names of the weapons were exactly what they are. The three weapons that didn't disappear and currently under our protection were the Staff of Shimmer, the Rose Daggers and the Lance of Snow. As for the weapons that you need to find, these were the Dragon Sword of Flame, the Arrow of Wind, the Flute of Melody and the Scythe of the Deep Waters. I'm warning you, these weapons are extremely valuable so you must not destroy them. Your mission is to retrieve the weapons and to apprehend those who had them the soonest possible time. Do that whatever it means necessary leaving only minimal damage as possible, if you could."

The gang could tell that Koenma was extremely serious about this. If these weapons fell in the wrong hands, then they're doomed. They didn't have any idea about the powers of those weapons. But if these were considered extremely valuable, then it might be that they possess an immense amount of power to be able to have the capability to cause such a terrible dimensional distortion.

Yusuke sighed before speaking. "Alright. When do we start searching for these weapons?"

"Tonight," Koenma simply said. "But you have to be careful. It's not only you who were searching for these weapons. You might come across some of them and you know what to do when that happens."

* * *

Yusuke and the others decided to head home first before they start their search. Even though they had no idea what kind of weapons they were looking for, it really didn't matter. What mattered most to them was the fact that it was extremely hazardous when used to evil.

Kurama was walking on the sidewalk as his route to his house when he unexpectedly spotted something on the corner of his eyes. When he turned to give it a good look, he couldn't help but to show a smile when he had a clear view of what he had seen.

It was Riya, coming out from a bookstore with her school bag and a paper bag in her hands. He saw her gave a bow to the store clerk before leaving. But he saw that before she took a step, she glanced at his direction and that was when he saw her purple eyes slightly widened. Even weirder, both of them just stared at each other for a short while. It's as if their eyes were just enough for them to somehow communicate with each other.

But just like a while back at school, her eyes began to become devoid of any emotions. He saw her bowed to him and then just like that, she left. He frowned at that but for some reasons, he couldn't even move his feet to follow her.

"It seems that a girl caught your attention, Kurama."

He was inwardly startled when he heard that voice. But then he didn't bother to look in order to know who it was. That person who spoke walked towards him and stopped just beside him.

"What made you say that?" he asked that made Hiei scoffed. He just smiled at that. Anyway, he's already used to it. And then he let his sight follow the path that Riya was walking. Once again, he's letting her disappear from his sight. "I could somehow feel she's keeping a certain mystery. Her eyes were somehow cold but… it would just appear to be her camouflage to hide her emotions… Emotions that might break her heart apart in some way. I just couldn't tell what."

"Hn."

But Kurama somehow expected that answer from Hiei. After all, he knew the fire demon to be a man of few words and he respected that.

Now, he realized that he was about to solve two mysteries. With which one of them, he has to solve it on his own.

First mystery: Miyuzaki Riya. But since it's just the first day that he met her, he might have some time for him to get close to her. And second: the seven legendary weapons in which four of it ended up in the Human World. But how could that happen without leaving a single trace around the place where they were kept?

He began to walk away, but before he did that, he looked at Riya while she slowly disappear from his sight. And as he walked away from there, images of Riya began to fill his mind that absolutely made him confused about it. In a way, he couldn't understand that.


	4. Cold Heart's Warning

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Cold Heart's Warning**

* * *

That night, the gang agreed to meet at the park before beginning to form groups that would lead the search to some of the suspected places where the four weapons would be. Koenma gave them the map and the coordinates where the energy similar to those emitted by the four weapons was last spotted.

Yusuke, Botan and Kuwabara took the areas to the east and southeast while Kurama and Hiei took the areas to the west and northwest from their positions. But before they could even proceed to their destination, someone greeted them suddenly that made them caught off guard and surprised.

"Looks like the Spirit Detectives are off on a mission right now," a woman with a long curly blond hair holding a long and straight-bladed spear said while smirking. "But I wouldn't guess what mission was that because I already know what you're looking for."

"She must be one of those people that Koenma-sama was talking about," Botan stated.

Yusuke frowned and then faced her. "Which one? Someone who might have the weapons we're looking for or someone who's after the weapons?"

"The second one that you said, most likely," Kurama replied. "Her weapon wasn't emitting unique spirit energy unlike those from the legendary weapons. And from what I remember from the legend about it, the weapons emit spiritual energy that's somehow different and yet the same from its wielders at the same time. Though no one was able to prove that."

The woman smiled and tightened her grip on her spear. "I admire your knowledge about the legendary weapons, Yoko Kurama."

Kurama was surprised when he heard that from the woman. _How did she know that?_

But before they could react any further, they saw the woman charging at them with her spear. And that caught them off-guard for some seconds before they managed to find their senses and evade it, though they were a bit late because the spear's blade surprisingly injured Kurama's right thigh that made him lose his focus and dropped to the ground. Unfortunately, the wound was deep enough to hit a nerve that made him unable to move easily because of the pain.

The woman was about to strike down Kurama when a beam of light struck her, throwing her away from him. That beam of light actually came from Yusuke's Spirit Gun. When the smoke faded from the point of impact to the ground, they were surprised that no one was there. And then they heard a sinister laugh. All of them looked up, only to be surprised to see that wretched woman floating in mid-air.

"Do you really think you could take me down with that simple attack?" she said and then she began flying as she charged towards them.

They were ready to evade the incoming attack with Kurama carried by Yusuke when suddenly; they saw the woman screamed as an invisible barrier somehow stopped her. She seemed electrocuted by the energy that created the barrier. And then after a few minutes, she was thrown away and landed to the ground.

Yusuke and the others could only stare at her in awe and confusion as they have felt that the energy from the barrier that protected them was beginning to disappear. They have no idea at all who cast that barrier but somehow, they owe their lives to that certain someone.

They saw the enemy tried to stand up using her spear as a crutch. "H-how did that… happen? You could not cast a barrier like that… So how?"

No one said anything, though.

Most likely, they have the same question running inside their minds, among others. But that's not the only question they had, especially for Kurama. When he looked down to check on his injury, he was stunned to see that the wound was slowly healing. And in a matter of seconds, it was gone.

The enemy charged to them again but just like a while ago, the barrier that has not really faded threw her. The effect of the electrocution from the barrier was even worse than the first one. And that somewhat forced her to retreat for the time being.

As for Yusuke and the others, they were surprised to see no wound visible from the torn slacks of Kurama where he was struck by the spear's blade.

"You healed yourself, Kurama?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama only answered by shaking his head and then he looked at his healed injury.

"But what could have caused something like this to happen? A barrier that protected us from that wretched woman's attack and Kurama's injury being healed…" Botan said and looked at them with worries.

But before they could conclude something, someone already answered them.

"It's the energy from the barrier that was cast by the wielder of the Flute of Melody that healed you, Kurama."

When they turned around to see who spoke, they were surprised to see Master Genkai approaching them, along with Koenma in his older form. Botan approached Koenma when those words registered in his mind.

"Koenma-sama, what are you doing here?" Botan asked.

Koenma sighed before answering the girl's question. "It's just that I forgot to mention about the information regarding the four legendary weapons that were lost. Each of those four weapons emits a unique form of spiritual energy. One of the weapons had already left a trace at the spot where the barrier was cast."

"Before that, would you mind if I ask you about the woman who attacked us earlier?" Kurama asked as he stood up with no problem since his injury has healed.

"Her name is Kazue, a demon shinobi who came here to the Human World to seek for the Legendary Weapons. But with the level of her strength right now, it would be hard for her to counter the powers of one of the weapons. And that includes all of you, as well," Koenma answered.

"The evidence was already in front of our eyes just a while back…" Hiei added. "…when that demon shinobi attacked us earlier using her weapon."

"But how are we supposed to locate the weapons when we don't have any idea what kind of spiritual energy they emit?" Yusuke asked in a rather irritated manner which was understandable.

But Koenma didn't answer. Instead, Genkai summoned four colored energy balls and each of the balls flew towards Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei. The indigo, blue, yellow and red colored ball chose Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei respectively.

"That ball of energy that each of you have right now contains the energy that the legendary weapons left on their regions. Its energy will be your guide to locate them," Koenma explained.

But Kuwabara only frowned as he looked at the blue-colored ball in front of him. "But how are we suppose to locate those weapons using these?"

No one from Genkai and Koenma answered but the old woman only flicked her fingers that made them confused. And in an instant, the balls emitted a bright glow that surprised them. Despite the bright light that surrounded them, the four of them saw what was happening with the balls. To their surprise, the balls were being absorbed by their bodies. It took a few minutes before the glow vanished. And all of them had their eyes widened when they saw that the balls disappeared from that glow.

"W-what had just happened?" Botan couldn't help but mutter her question because of surprise.

Genkai's face turned serious. "Those energy balls were absorbed by their bodies in order for each of them to become familiar with the energy of the four legendary weapons."

Yusuke faced Genkai after hearing that. "What do you mean by that, old hag?"

"Just shut up and listen to what we have to say, dimwit!" the old lady shouted in front of his face that surprised him and taken him aback.

They all just kept quiet after and waited for Genkai to continue speaking.

"The balls of energy that you have inside your body, like what Koenma said, are the energies of the four legendary weapons that had mysteriously disappeared from their respective regions. I wasn't sure if the energies chose your bodies to be their refuge or otherwise. But what I'm sure is that the energies inside of you will be your guide to sense the energies where the four missing legendary weapons would probably be located. The indigo-colored energy inside of you, Yusuke—" she said and then faced the said man. "—contains the energy from the Flute of Melody. The blue energy ball inside of Kuwabara contains the energy from the Scythe of the Deep Waters. Kurama's yellow energy ball contains the Arrow of Wind's energy and for Hiei, your red energy ball has the Dragon Sword of Flame's energy. All of those weapons were wielded right now by people whose energy levels are already at a rank of an upper A class or even higher," she continued as she faced each of them.

No one said a word after that. And after a few minutes of silence among them, Yusuke and Kuwabara sensed an immense and a familiar spirit energy that struck their spiritual senses almost immediately. That made them look around while the others were quite confused.

"What's going on, Yusuke, Kuwabara?" Botan asked the two men.

But they only faced Kurama and Hiei who somehow got an idea of what's going on with them.

"Didn't you sense that strong spiritual energy?" Kuwabara asked but Kurama and Hiei just shook their heads as a response.

As for Koenma and Genkai…

"Looks like the wielders of the Scythe of the Deep Waters and the Flute of Melody were just around, watching us," Koenma commented. And then he sighed to ease his tension. "But it seems that they won't cause any trouble… for now."

"But why only Yusuke and Kuwabara were able to sense the energies?" Kurama couldn't help but ask.

Genkai most likely answered it. "That's because you and Hiei had different energies that you can sense thanks to the energy balls inside of you. That way, it would be much easier for you to sense and locate the four weapons. But in this case, you will be working alone when it comes to locating them. You'll fight together as a team when it comes to the demon shinobi and the wielders themselves when worse comes to worst."

The four agreed to it and rescheduled the search. But before Yusuke left, he felt a flow of spiritual energy being blown away by the wind along with a soft mellow song coming from a… flute. And he wasn't surprised to see that the damage on the park caused by his Spirit Gun was slowly disappearing in front of him. He just looked seriously at it.

_So this is some of the Flute of Melody's powers…_ Yusuke thought before turning around to follow the others as they left.

* * *

A silhouette just a few yards away from that battlefield could be seen as she showed a triumphant smile. That's right… A 'she'… It was a silhouette of a teenage girl based on her physique and height plus the long flowing hair. Another silhouette accompanied her. But this one was the silhouette of a man. Both were standing on a tree branch with the thick clusters of leaves covering them, thus enabling it to hide them.

"Looks like Koenma-sama managed to device a plan in order to catch us, Onii-sama," the girl said in a rather amused and… happy tone.

The man smiled, as well, to somehow show the same feeling he had at that moment. It was the feelings that the girl had, too.

"This is going to be even more exciting for us, then," the man stated before facing the girl. "Did you manage to do it? Captain would be scolding us real bad if we failed to protect them."

"I know that, Onii-sama. So don't worry; they're okay. I managed to cast a long-distance barrier before they were even hit by Kazue. And using the energy from it, I healed that red head's injury, as well."

The man sighed. "So we're done here. Mission accomplished. Now let's go back."

"But before that, can I ask you something, Onii-sama?" the girl said before the guy could even move an inch.

"About what?"

"Just what are the reasons for us to protect the Spirit Detectives secretly?"

It took him a while before he could answer it. "I'm not sure about the reason myself. But Captain said that they are quite essential for our mistress's and our weapons' true awakening."

"I guess I'll be satisfied with that answer," she said and then the two of them lept to leave that place as soon as they could without anyone following them… along with them were the weapons that the Spirit Detectives and the demon shinobi sought for.

* * *

**_The next day…_**

The sun had already risen up to the sky but all this time, Riya was just lying on her bed as she stared vacantly at nothing. Her alarm set off 15 minutes ago but she only turned it off and lied there. For reasons certain for her, she does not feel like moving from her bed. She's really feeling down.

But no matter how down she was, she still has to attend school since it's her second day and she doesn't want her teacher to be disappointed to her in some way… even if it's just for the teacher that she'd go to school. After heaving a few heavy sighs, she finally stood up and lazily get ready for school.

After eating breakfast, she locked the front door using the main key. And while she walked to the route going to school, she couldn't help remembering the reason why she was feeling down since yesterday…

…all because Minamino Shuichi asked her to be his project partner.

_Riya was walking out of the school building with an expressionless face but happy heart since all of the classes had ended that day. Even though she showed a stoic face, her heart was unbelievably happy. But somehow, she understood the reason why._

_She was able to meet Minamino Shuichi. Funny… just because his name was the same as the name of the boy who gave her the Snow Rose. She couldn't help but to feel elated of some sort. Her spirit and energy somehow risen up to a high level._

"_Miyuzaki," a voice of a girl suddenly called out that made her stop to her tracks._

_She frowned because she knew that the voice was familiar and at the same time, threatening. But even still, she turned around to find out who said that. And she gasped silently to see Ayako approaching along with two other girls that she knew were her classmates and a part of Ayako's circle._

"_What do you want?" she asked nonchalantly to hide certain emotions she's feeling at that time._

_But Ayako only glared at her and she tried to remain stoic. "You're really a flirt, aren't you? Making Minamino-kun your project partner. For a transfer student, you sure have some guts."_

_Her expression didn't change although deep inside, she flinched as she was taken aback by Ayako's comment. And that made Ayako even more infuriated._

"_So you're not going to say anything?" Ayako asked rather sarcastically. And then she scoffed. "It's true, huh? Listen to what I have to say, Miyuzaki. Make a step to get close to Minamino-kun and I'll make sure you'll regret ever stepping in this school. You're just some weird girl, anyway. And do you expect the whole class to welcome you with open arms? Think again. We only select the people we need to befriend and unfortunately, that doesn't includes you at all," she continued and then smirked._

_Riya heard every word that Ayako said and it somehow left a stabbing pain in her heart. So she wasn't really welcomed by the class… and probably even Shuichi. She saw Ayako gritted her teeth after moments of silence between them; an indication that the girl in front of her was completely infuriated by her nonchalant attitude._

"_Hey, are you even listening to me, you freak?" Ayako shouted already at her face._

_But still, she didn't even flinch. And after a while, she heaved a heavy sigh before facing her._

"_Are you done with your speech? If not, then better save it for tomorrow so that the whole class could even hear. That would be much fun for you, right?" she said it as a statement with her expression remained stoic. That made Ayako flinch. It's as if it was unexpected for her to see that she would still remain composed after openly declaring their disgust to her. "And for your information, it was MInamino-kun who asked me to be his partner and not the other way around. But if you wouldn't believe that, I wouldn't give a damn care. I wouldn't last in this school, anyway," she continued, filling her last sentence with meanings._

_But it would appear that Ayako didn't manage to grasp the hidden meaning. And then she left them without even looking back._

_It seemed to be that she wouldn't be able to achieve her dream of a new life in this place. And she hated that fact. But even though how much she hated it, it doesn't matter. One thing was sure for now._

_It's better if she keep a distance between her and Shuichi as much as possible… no matter how painful it would be to her and how much she hated it. Besides, she still has her mission that was too dangerous and she wouldn't want her family and her friends, especially Shuichi, to get caught up in danger._

_In order for her to do that, she must establish a plan to make them remain within their boundaries and let them stay away from her. That way, no one would get hurt in the process. After all, she left Hokkaido in order for her to locate someone who had caused her life to turn upside-down._

_She sighed with a heavy heart as she continued to walk away from Ayako and her friends. She wasn't even paying attention to everything that those girls were saying. Well, almost everything. There was one thing Ayako said that registered in her mind, though._

"_Don't even think of ruining Minamino-kun's image and reputation here at school just because of you coming near him," Ayako said in a threatening tone but didn't scare her one bit. Besides, she was already used to that kind of tone. It didn't scare her before and it would never scare her now._

_But then, she didn't rethink of what that girl had said. She hated the idea of staying away from Shuichi since her mind immediately opposed to it. Yet, if it would really prevent her from ruining Shuichi in some way, along with the danger she's about to face, then most likely it's better if she would just stay away from him._

_And there's only one way for her to do that since she couldn't really avoid him completely. They're classmates and project partners, after all._

_She'll just have to surround her heart with ice and turn it cold… figuratively. _

_That way… maybe… _

* * *

Riya entered the school gate and sighed in order for her to calm herself. Her heart was beating rapidly again but she's trying herself not to show them that she was still affected by Ayako's words yesterday.

Although that confrontation suddenly turned her into something she wasn't supposed to be, she guessed it would be better that way. She would be able to mask everything she's feeling, including her emotions that she tried to bury deep within herself and yet trying to come out.

She entered the classroom quietly and that made the class suddenly quiet as they watched her walked towards her seat. And like what she had planned, she didn't mind them at all. As soon as she seated, she took out a book from her bag and began reading, without a care of her surroundings. Well, almost without a care.

She's still trying to observe her surroundings using her senses. Even though her mind and her eyes were focused on the book she's reading, she was most likely observing them from the corner of her eyes. Even when Shuichi entered and greeted her, she didn't even glance at him. She knew that it would be rude but that's all she have to do. And at the same time, Ayako's words continued to echo in her mind.

When their homeroom teacher entered, she tried to focus on their lessons. And during those times, she could sense Shuichi looking at her from the corner of his eyes. She felt tensed in some way but then she tried to remain firm and maintain her stoic expression.

And when lunch break arrived, most of the students of their class stayed in the classroom since Ayako told them so. That also made her and Shuichi stayed there. She decided to remain there by choice. As for Shuichi's reason to stay there, she couldn't tell.

She saw Ayako approached her but she didn't move from her seat and from what he's doing at that moment. All she did was to continue reading the book she brought that morning.

"Staying quiet, huh? It seems to me that you have finally learned your place. But I doubt if it would be for a long time."

But no words came from Riya while the others were somehow anticipating to see her counter Ayako's words. In his seat, Shuichi was getting a bit angry by the way Ayako said those words to Riya. More or less, he had an idea about the meaning behind it.

"So you're just going to stay quiet?" Ayako irritatingly said but just like a while back, she didn't even flinch.

But what she did after that had taken Ayako by surprise. Not only Ayako but the rest of the class, as well. Shuichi was surprised, too. But he just narrowed his eyes as he tried to study her actions.

What they all saw was the threatening glare of Riya to Ayako. The transfer student was really looking at Ayako with hate and in some way, disgust. That had made the latter subconsciously step backwards.

"W-why are you staring at me like that?" Ayako asked as she couldn't prevent herself from whimpering.

Riya stared at her that way for some seconds before reverting her gaze to the book she's reading. Ayako laughed nervously and tried to smirk but to no avail. Admit it or not, she really got scared with the look of that transfer student to her.

"You can't even fight back. It seems to me that you're trying to impress us with your calm attitude. But do you really think you could—"

"Shut the hell up!" Ayako was abruptly stopped to continue speaking when Riya said that in a firm and somewhat scary tone. "You're ruining my concentration with your loud mouth. So shut up!"

Her enemy was stunned with that. They never thought that she could actually counter Ayako's words like that. And with a heavy feeling beginning to build up in her chest, she stood up and left her seat along with her book. But before she managed to finally leave the room, she heard someone stood up and spoke to her. She flinched inwardly when she realized it was Shuichi.

"Riya, you can't let them affect you in any way. Whatever Kirisawa-san said to you, don't listen to any of it. I know her and—"

But he was abruptly stopped talking when she spoke to him in a gentle tone like the same tone he had heard yesterday.

"It's alright, Minamino-kun. There's no use for you explaining anything to me. I just want to breath some fresh air. Staying in this place would only suffocate me, anyway," she said seriously but gently.

"Then I'll go with you," he said.

"No!" she firmly said that slightly surprised Shuichi. She knew that even though she's not looking at him. "As much as possible, don't try to get near me or talk to me if it's not related to our project. I'll still do my part about it so rest assured, I would become an excellent and reliable partner like how you described me once. Other than that, it's better if you leave me alone. It's for the best and for your own good, anyway." And with that, she left the room.

But when she closed the door and walked through the hallway, her mind was getting a little crowded with questions and what if's because of so many reasons. And the only thing she could clearly think of was about what she said to Shuichi. It's like she meant it completely but she kept on thinking that it's for the best. That way, she wouldn't get hurt in the process once the inevitable happened. She doesn't want to get hurt anymore.

She then stopped walking and tightly closed her eyes before a tear escaped from it. With all that had happened that day, it's no surprise if she cried secretly even if for a short while. It's better that way rather than endure it and keep it to herself as she pretended like nothing had happened.

_I just made a new friend and yet, I'm telling him to stay away from me. Even though I wanted to get to know him, I couldn't. I couldn't let him be dragged into so many issues because of me. I'm sorry if I'm telling you to stay away from me, Minamino-kun…_ Her heart began to ache as she said those words in her mind. She felt herself getting tired as if she lost a lot of energy, that's why she leaned against the wall and cried silently but hard. _I'm really sorry…_

* * *

**_In the classroom…_**

It took late for Riya's words to finally sink into Kurama's mind before he realized that she had already left. Yes, she wanted him to stay away from her. But why? Why was she isolating herself from the rest of the world?

Everything went well yesterday, as he remembered. And after that, he thought that everything would go well today, as well. Apparently, he thought wrong. And the only thing he could think of was that something happened to Riya yesterday afternoon for her to act like that.

It's like she was slowly turning her heart into ice. But instead of following her outside since that's what he really wanted to do, he just stayed there as he clenched his fist to somehow cool down his head even if it's just for a bit. He stayed there as a respect to what Riya wanted, as well.

At the exact instant that he sat on the chair, he was somehow struck with something when he felt an immense spiritual energy hovering near. He glanced outside but there's no sign of weird activity there. That's when he realized that he must have somehow felt the spirit energy of one of the four missing legendary weapons: the Arrow of Wind.

**It seems to me you've already felt the presence of another legendary weapon, Kurama,** Hiei stated to him telepathically, implying that the fire demon was just near.

He sighed before answering him the same way. **Fortunately, yes. Though it's faint, I could say that the power is massive. But it wasn't doing anything dangerous. It seems like the wielder of the Arrow of Wind is nearby and were just observing the surroundings.**

**But even still, you have to keep yourself alert. That demon shinobi might try to locate the weapons again,** Hiei suggested that made him smile inwardly.

And then he's beginning to feel the presence of the Arrow of Wind's spiritual energy was beginning to fade away.

* * *

**_Later that night…_**

The Spirit Detectives gathered at the park once again since that's where Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei sensed the spiritual energy of the three weapons. But instead of the Legendary Weapon Wielders that greeted them there, they were slightly surprised and yet expectant when Kazue the demon shinobi showed up from out of nowhere.

"You really like popping up like a mushroom, huh?" Yusuke said rather sarcastic as he prepared himself to fight.

But Kazue only smirked at that. "Same goes to you, Spirit Detective." And after that, she began to charge to the team.

Or maybe not to the team, but to a specific person among the team. They were surprised when they saw that Kazue was aiming at Kurama. But it didn't made them caught off guard this time. The said red head prepared his iconic Rose Whip. But before he could even strike it to Kazue, someone had already struck the demon shinobi with a fireball that they were sure it didn't come from Hiei.

That large fireball was enough for their enemy to be injured. Koenma said once that they might have a hard time fighting a demon shinobi like Kazue whos spirit energy rivaled those of middle S class demons. But compares to the spirit energy of the legendary weapons, they somehow figured out that the combined powers of the Spirit Detectives could only cause minimal damage to the Legendary Weapon Wielders.

And that's where a part of another legend came in. Legendary Weapon Wielders were said to belong in the rarest class of fighters higher than the S class. But since no one had ever encountered anyone with a class higher than the S class demons, they never believed that it actually existed. They belong to a mythical class of beings known as the SS class (said as Double S class).

But if it was true, then the legend about the weapons' capability to destroy the barriers that separate the three realms would most likely to be said as facts.

"Where did that fireball came from?" Kuwabara asked despite his surprise about the sudden mysterious attack to Kazue.

But Hiei already knew the answer. "From the wielder of the Dragon Sword of Flame."

"But it's not only him who's around watching us right now," Yusuke said. "I could also sense the spirit energy from the Flute of Melody."

"Same as mine," Kuwabara added. "Someone who has the Scythe of the Deep Waters is also here."

Kurama could only smile at that. _So that means the one with the Arrow of Wind isn't here._ But then, he frowned at one question that entered his mind. _But why would the Legendary Weapon Wielders let us notice their presence? And they're even protecting us from the demon shinobi's attack… Why is that?_

But even though his mind was becoming full of questions about their mission, he couldn't understand the reason why would a single image of Riya smiling shyly actually helped him focus his mind onto the case that they're trying to solve. He's still confused as to why would Riya ask him to leave her alone and don't talk to her only when it's really necessary and project-related.

And before he could even speculate of an answer to that, he saw a crescent-shaped indigo boomerang struck another demon shinobi that was about to attack them. This time, the demon shinobi was a man with a yellow spiky hair and blue eyes. He's holding a weird looking long sword and he dropped it when he was struck by the energy boomerang.

"Just because someone got lost into their thinking doesn't mean you can strike them by surprise," someone said that made them change their focus to look for the one who spoke.

And when they looked behind them, they were surprised to see three people wearing colored hooded capes holding some sort of weapon that would most likely be described as the legendary weapons that they're looking for.

Two girls and a boy wearing hooded capes—each of the capes actually represented the colored energy balls that the Spirit Detectives had within them—were standing just a few feet away from them.

"You should pay more attention to your enemies, Kurama. Or should I say—" the girl wearing a red hooded cape paused and then showed a faint smile. "—Minamino Shuichi?"

That made the Spirit Detectives surprised. _How in the world did she know that?_

Little did they know that a certain someone with a pair of amethyst orbs were watching the battle at the park from afar.

* * *

**I'm not really good at writing fight scenes but I hope I did write it here in a way that you could somehow understand. It's just that I'm quite used at writing some sappy and not-so-sappy romance and fantasy stories so I should say that I'm not good at writing stories with action scenes. I might have wrong grammars here but I'm really trying to learn to become better since English is only my second language so I'm having some hard time incorporating what I had learned from before with regards to English composition.**

**Anyway, if you have comments or suggestion, feel free to review. And I'll try posting the next chapter as soon as I can. I'm not just sure when. ^_^**


	5. The Search For Answers

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**The Search For Answers**

* * *

"Three of the Legendary Weapon Wielders? That sure is fast for them to show up," the demon shinobi named Raijin snickered as he tried to get up even if he was still injured because of the boomerang attack.

Kazue had already stood up, as well, but she was still staggering because of the fireball attack from the Dragon Sword of Flame's wielder, as Hiei had stated to them earlier.

"Damn you, Fire Wielder!" Kazue swore under her breath and then began to charge to them again along with Raijin. But as they tried to get near the Spirit Detectives, the boy with a blue hooded cape fixed a fighting stance and then swung the Scythe of the Deep Waters. With one swing, he managed to throw the blade of the scythe as he shouted a spell.

"Double Water Blade Strike!" Then the blade glowed and spun faster before it multiplied into two and struck both of the demon shinobi.

They all saw the two spinning blades disappeared from its point of impact after causing a damage to the enemies and it reappeared to the scythe. The Spirit Detectives could only stare at it with awe and curiosity at the same time.

And only one question entered their minds all at the same time when they realized what was happening. Why would the wielders help them and actually protect them from the demon shinobi?

"You might be surprised when we say this," the girl with the indigo hooded cape said. "But we want only the Spirit Detectives to retrieve the weapons from us, that's why we're protecting you. We know it's weird but we really mean it. But it's not yet the time for us to do that. When the right time comes, we'll tell you everything."

"Oh, sure! Like I could believe in something like that just because it was said by a girl," Yusuke said sarcastically and began running towards the wielders. But before he could even touch them, he was thrown away by the barrier that was probably cast by the girl who had the Flute of Melody.

"Yusuke!" They called out and they approached him.

The girl could only smile sadly at that. And it's something that Kurama noticed.

"Just like what I said, we'll tell you everything when the right time comes," she plainly answered and then looked at the demon shinobi's direction. They were beginning to stand and they were chanting something.

Before they could even finish chanting, the girl waved the flute in an arc-shape above her and then shouted a spell.

"Crescent Melody Boomerang!" And then she threw the bright crescent-shaped indigo-colored energy boomerang to them, just like what was thrown to Raijin earlier. The boomerang severely injured the two demon shinobi since it came to them many times at a fast speed. The final blow came to them when the spinning boomerang with blade-like features sliced their bodies with just one strike. The sliced bodies of the demon shinobi turned to dust and then disappeared.

That had definitely made them utterly shocked and a little bit scared. But only Yusuke and Kuwabara showed that to their faces. Kurama and Hiei remained steady and a little stoic but that attack was undeniably registered to their minds.

_So they're really powerful as the legend says**,**_ Kurama thought as they watched the wielders walk away. But before they completely leave, the girl with the red hooded cape faced him.

"If I were you, better take care of the girl you had pinned your attention to. She might become the target of another demon shinobi to be used as a bait to kill you, Kurama. In case you didn't know, she could sense spiritual energies from almost all kinds of beings and identify them immediately. As of now, you're the only one who could protect her."

In a blink of an eye, they vanished. But the words that the Dragon Sword of Flame's wielder left had made Kurama pondered onto the thought that Riya might get caught up with their mission. He couldn't let that happen.

Kuwabara helped Yusuke to stand up since the electrocution from the barrier earlier had disabled some of his nerves and somehow, part of his body became numb. And then they approached Kurama whose thoughts had definitely delved deeper into his mind.

"Kurama, are you alright?" Kuwabara asked that startled the red head and made him look at them.

Kurama hesitantly smiled and nodded. Then his face went serious again.

"_As of now, you're the only one who could protect her…"_ That thought kept on ringing in his mind until now. But if the Dragon Sword of Flame's wielder believed that he could really protect Riya from the possible dangers they're facing because of the mission, then so be it.

He'll accept the job of protecting her. And it looked like fate was doing everything to make him stay close to Riya no matter how much she tried to push him away from her. He'll make sure that she wouldn't get caught up in danger at all.

He'll make sure about that… no matter what happens to him in order to do that…

* * *

A girl with a long black hair and a pair of amethyst orbs sighed as she finished watching the battle of the Spirit Detectives and the demon shinobi at the park. And she managed to observe the appearance of the Legendary Weapon Wielders.

"Looks like the battle specified in the ancient prophecy had most likely started," Riya uttered as she began to stand up from the branch of the tree not too far and not too close to the battle scene. She couldn't afford to be exposed.

When she gazed at the direction where the Spirit Detectives were standing at, she just looked at Shuichi talking to someone familiar to her. And then she showed a bitter smile when she realized something.

_It's definitely for the best if you would just stay away from me, Minamino-kun. The ancient prophecy might have something to do about my past. And I wouldn't really want us to become enemies when that happens._

With that thought in mind, she just sighed and then hurriedly left that place as she tried not to make them sense her presence as she tried to leave.

And so far, they didn't managed to sense her presence. For now, she would just have to wait for another events to unfold that might unlock the secrets of her past.

* * *

Kurama remained deep in his thoughts about the events three days ago and the words left to him by the wielder of the Dragon Sword of Flame. It's a good thing that it didn't ruin his concentration during the class. Occasionally, he would take a few glances at Riya who was just sitting at the seat behind him.

And like as usual, his classmates were still treating her as an outcast but Riya doesn't seem to mind about it. She was just doing the usual thing—reading and avoiding to talk to anyone, including him.

When lunch time came, he decided to go to the rooftop instead of staying in the classroom like he usually does. That when an unexpected guest arrived on that place.

"It seems to me you're still thinking about what I said to you that night."

He was surprised to hear that and it made him turn around. He was stunned to know that a teenage girl with a short blond hair was beneath the red hooded cape that night. He might not have seen her face back then but he clearly remembered the voice.

"How did you know about that?" he asked her calmly. For some reasons, he didn't feel threatened that a Legendary Weapon Wielder was in front of him. He could somehow tell that she didn't come here to fight.

"The way you look at Miyuzaki Riya, I could tell that she has become special to you in such a short amount of time. What you can see in her eyes are all reflections of what she has in her heart. She had become broken through the crosscurrents of fate and time for the past eight years," she said seriously but sadly.

"But why are you telling me all this? We're enemies, right?" He's really getting a little confused about the situation and he's becoming a bit desperate to know everything that has been happening.

The girl sighed before looking at him seriously. "I know this is getting a little confusing for you but I can't tell you the real reason right now. But before I tell you something important, at least I would like to introduce myself."

"Something… important?"

"My name is Hisakawa Yumi and as you already know, I have the Dragon Sword of Flame in my possession. I wouldn't mind being apprehended by you and the other Spirit Detectives as long as I managed to finish the mission that's needed to be done. But that's not what I was about to tell you," she said gravely before closing her eyes. "What I'm about to tell you has something to do with Riya's past that rendered her sad and evasive…"

His eyes widened when he heard that. "R-Riya's past?"

Yumi nodded and then she began telling him a part of the transfer student's past. It's something that might give him enough determination to fight for and protect Riya from all the possible dangers that their current mission could possibly inflict to her.

* * *

But they never realized that the girl they were talking about was just behind the door listening to Yumi's story as the girl slowly unfolded the story with regards to a part of her past.

Riya sighed as she continued to listen to the story.

"Yumi, I hope you know what you're doing. Even if you do tell him my past, that wouldn't make me change my mind about staying away from him. I should be the one protecting him, not the other way around," she muttered before finally deciding to leave that place.

She decided to head out of the school building to the soccer field in order to watch the team members practice for their upcoming game. It might have been weird for a girl like her to watch such activity but she has been a fan of soccer ever since her brother got her engaged into it.

Before she could find a spot to sit on to, she saw one of the players kicked the ball too hard that it actually flew out of the field and it was about to hit her on the head. But none of the players expected what she had done with that.

She actually kicked the ball before it could finally hit her and it went back to the field. The ball landed on the ground and rolled to one of the players before that guy stopped it from rolling by stepping on it. And then she saw him smiled when he looked at her. It was later followed by a girl coming towards her after she sat on the grass just beneath a huge tree near the field. The girl has a beautiful long blue hair done in twin braids.

"You really kicked that ball good. Do you play soccer?" the girl immediately asked after seating beside her that surprised her inwardly.

She just answered the girl's question when she shook her head. "I used to play soccer with my brother when I was young during my years back in Hokkaido. I'm not really a certified soccer player."

"But you do love soccer?" that girl asked again. This time, she answered it with a smile. An indication that her answer was 'yes' to agree with the girl.

That's when the girl remembered something. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Hondou Yukari, 15 years old, a freshman here. Nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"Miyuzaki Riya, a second year student. I just transferred here six days ago. I came from an all-girls' school back in Hokkaido." And then she smiled after that. She then noticed the blue-haired guy who stepped on the ball earlier coming towards them.

Yukari came close to her and leaned in order to say something. "He's my brother and the captain of the soccer team, Hondou Soujiro. But most of the people in the team calls him Jiro. He's a year older than me and one year my senior." And then Yukari stood up and approached Soujiro. "You're done with your practice, Onii-sama?"

Soujiro nodded and then faced her. "I'm really sorry about the ball earlier. It almost hit you."

"It's okay. I know how to evade it, anyway. But my body somehow acted on it own that's why I kicked it back," she said with a smile.

That's when Yukari exclaimed and approached her. "Miyuzaki-sempai, would you want to become the manager of the soccer team?"

She frowned at that. "Manager? But why?"

"Well, the boys on the team doesn't really want their schedules being messy, especially when it comes to practice and other related stuffs. Their coach is quite old and might need some assistance, as well. And I thought that since you're adept to soccer, you might be able to know how to handle some of their problems regarding that. Of course, I won't force you if you don't want but I have to say we really need one. I'm not really capable of being their manager even though I wanted to and somehow know how to handle one."

She became quiet for a while and then thought about it. Because of that, she didn't even notice Yukari and Soujiro having a heated conversation regarding the request. And since they were just whispering, Riya didn't seem to mind. After a few minutes, the team members gathered and Yukari told them about her request. The blue-haired girl was relieved to know that no one objected to that. Now all that's left would be Riya's decision.

That's when they saw her stood up and slowly approached Yukari and Soujiro on the soccer field.

"I'll accept the offer. So when will I start?" Riya said in a gentle and at the same time, friendly tone.

It made the whole team rejoiced and then they all discussed the matter regarding the soccer team's activities to her.

At the very least, it was better that way. Maybe she could finally find and start the better life she had been hoping for with these guys. But suddenly, an image of Minamino Shuichi entered her mind that caught her a little off guard.

Of all times, why would she think about him now? And for what reason would Yumi tell him about some part of her past when the girl knew he would be caught up in danger because of it?

Right now, she couldn't find answers to those questions easily. And she wouldn't be able to find it overnight even if she wanted to. Besides, she's trying to stay away from him as best as she could and she'll make sure she'll be able to do that just until she finished what she has to do.

But why does her heart disagree to that kind of plan that she had in mind? It was for the best, right?

So then why?

* * *

**_Koenma's castle…_**

It's been hours that had passed but Koenma was still busy looking at a picture and a profile of a teenage girl with black hair and purple eyes displayed on a screen in front of him. On his hand was a batch of papers with information written on them that's somehow related to Riya's profile displayed. He then heaved a sigh before looking back to the picture.

And that's when Botan came in. The girl was surprised to see a teenage girl's profile displayed while the toddler's face turned sober. It was somewhat rare to see him like that.

"Is there any problems, Koenma-sama? You look so serious with that profile you're looking at," she stated.

Koenma put down the papers on the table before heaving another sigh and looked at Botan.

"I don't know if I could consider it a problem, Botan. But this actually regards to the girl that the wielder of the Dragon Sword of Flame said to Kurama. It was Hiei who wanted to know something with regards to that girl."

"And did you manage to find anything?" But Koenma only looked at her seriously. She somewhat took his silence as a yes.

"I did find something but I never thought it would be tragic on Riya's part."

Botan frowned. "Riya? Is that the name of the girl that the wielder was talking about?"

Koenma nodded. "Her name is Miyuzaki Riya, the youngest child and only daughter of Miyuzaki Katsuo and Miyuzaki Ritsuko. The Miyuzaki family happened to be one of the renowned families in Japan. She was born and grew up in Hokkaido for almost sixteen years of her life. But then recently, she transferred to Yusuke's hometown and there, she met Kurama since she's studying at the same school where he does."

"So what's tragic about that?"

"The tragic part of her life happened two years before she left Hokkaido. It was when her brother Hiroto got killed by a demon shinobi. Six years prior to that, her father got killed as well… by another demon shinobi. She hadn't coped up from the trauma that those two incidents had inflicted on her since she witnessed both her father and brother's gruesome deaths." Botan gasped when she heard that and covered her mouth with her hands. Koenma then continued. "I'm not sure about this information but… they said she might have left Hokkaido in order to track down the demon shinobi that killed two of her family members."

"But does she possess spiritual energy? She won't be able to face them heads on if she doesn't have that," she said.

He turned serious once again before facing Botan and looked at her. "She does possess spiritual energy but surprisingly, it was already too close to Kurama's level of powers, an S-class, and it was getting stronger as the time passed. Though she rarely use it for unknown reasons. And one more thing that I haven't said: Riya is Yusuke's maternal cousin. But for some reasons, Yusuke doesn't have any idea that his cousin lived just beside his apartment and she probably doesn't want him to know."

After rethinking the information that Koenma said a while back, Botan came up with a thought. A question, to be exact. Unknowingly, she began to utter that question.

"If she does want to track down the demon shinobi who killed her father and her brother, do you think she has something to do with the missing weapons?"

"I don't think that's possible because she had never gone in any of the two realms outside the Human World," Koenma replied to that. "Besides, her powers hasn't fully manifested yet since she rarely use it and that made her powers somehow still sealed inside of her. And only time will know when would she be able to fully manipulate that."

She sighed before asking another question. "So are you going to tell Yusuke and the others about this? Or do you want me to tell them?"

It took a while for the toddler to come up with a decision. But whatever was his decision, it's better to respect it.

"I think we should just let Riya decide to that. We can't just barge in and suddenly telling them about this. It might infuriate her in the process."

"Alright." Botan gave up and then she heavily sighed. She managed to have a look at the photo of Riya displayed on the screen.

_Well, I must say she does have a stunning beauty. I wouldn't wonder why Kurama had pinned his attention to her. But then I could tell that there's more to her for him to be interested in her. Whatever it was, I doubt I'll be able to know that sooner._

She just smiled faintly as that thought.

* * *

Yumi sighed when Kurama somehow became unable to talk or react.

"So you're telling me this for me to prevent her from being targeted by the demon shinobi?" Kurama finally managed to utter after a few minutes of silence between them.

"Partly. But I could also think it's the other way around." That statement made him frown a bit. But he let her continue. "It might be that she came here to track down those demon shinobi on her own and kill them in order to exact her vengeance."

"But this doesn't have anything to do with the other Legendary Weapons?" He somewhat held his breath when he asked that. And he heaved a sigh of relief when she shook her head. That made him remember something and he asked her that. "Why are you telling this to me? You could have told Yusuke about this, as well."

Yumi looked at him seriously before answering his question. "You might find this weird but… for now, I could only entrust Riya's safety to you since you're the one near her most of the time. I shouldn't be saying this to you since we're enemies as of now. But I know that both of us wouldn't want Riya to be involved with our issues. Am I right?"

He fell silent after that. And somehow, she took it as a yes. Yumi, for some reason, omitted the information that Yusuke and Riya were cousins and that Minamino Shiori and Miyuzaki Ritsuko had always been friends since high school. She felt that this was not the appropriate time for her to reveal that much information. She would just let him discover it on his own.

Kurama smiled and then he looked at her. "So that would make it a truce for us?"

"Somehow…"

"Alright. I'll do it," he declared, determination evident in his eyes. And that's when she turned around, about to leave that place but then she was stopped to her tracks when he asked a question. "Why are you doing this for Riya? Does she know you have the Dragon Sword of Flame?"

He saw Yumi showed and faint smile as she as she faced him. "Riya's actually my childhood friend and my savior. That's why I want to do everything to protect her and keep her out of danger. But I couldn't do it openly, that's why I want you to do it in my place. As for the weapons, she doesn't have to know and there's no reason for her to know that. I would only drag her in danger if I do that."

And with that, she jumped and left that place by leaping high up the floor before landing to a building with about half a kilometer gap from the school building. Much like the same way Hiei does whenever he wanted to leave.

* * *

After that conversation with Yumi, Kurama gave a second thought about it. But then he realized that no matter how much he rethink about it, he would always come up with the same decision. Even until the classes for that day was over and had a conversation with Kaitou during a club meeting, it's still the same. And that issue came up when they came out of the meeting room and they walked along the corridors going to his classroom.

"So that's what she said, huh? But are you sure enough to trust her about that? She might be using Miyuzaki to let your guard down," Kaitou said.

Kurama shook his head. "I don't think that's how it works when she told me those information about Riya. Those information were quite confidential and yet she told me that to somehow make me understand the situation. I could tell that she was telling the truth."

"Does Yusuke and the others know that information she just told you?"

Kurama remained quiet for a while before answering him. "I don't think so. But I guess Hiei already had suspicions about it. And Koenma most likely did something for him to retrieve the necessary information."

That's when they had reached Kurama's classroom and opened the door for them to come in. But Kurama stopped to his tracks the moment he glanced at the girl who was clearing up the writings on the chalk board. Even though he could only see the back view of that girl, he already knew who it was.

"I guess that must be her," Kaitou suddenly whispered that inwardly startled him. He just nodded as a response to that.

He then continued to walk towards his seat and took his bag. And when he gazed at her, he felt his world and everything around him to suddenly stopped moving. He could see her stoic face yet her eyes were telling otherwise.

Surprise, guilt, pain and a hint of regret were some of the emotions that he saw in her eyes. If he could compare it to the ones he saw on day he first met her, her hidden emotions began to surface in her eyes now that made it lost its sparkle. Before, he couldn't even read what was her eyes in any way. After he learned a part of her past from Yumi, now he had definitely understood most of the things that was currently going on.

He wanted to approach her but for some reasons, he couldn't. Then he saw Riya avoided his stares and walked towards him. And without looking at him, she passed by and took her bag. He somehow felt a stinging pain in his chest when she did that. Even though he was a little expectant that she would do that, he couldn't deny that he was hurt.

Little did he knew that Kaitou somehow felt that pain inside of him. And that's when the bespectacled man approached him.

"Better try to do something to get close to her if you really want to protect her like what that Yumi person asked you to do." And after that, Kaitou left the room ahead of Riya.

_He's right,_ Kurama thought the moment Kaitou's words sank into his mind. _This is what I've promised to Yumi after I decided that. I have to keep my part of the bargain since I agreed to protect Riya in her place. Yumi and I might be enemies as of now but we share a common goal—and that is to protect the girl we're trying not to be involved in the danger that our mission could impose to her._

With that thought in mind, he turned around to look at Riya who was about to open the door.

"Riya, can we please talk… even just for a while?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

He saw her hand froze in mid-air just near the doorknob since she was about to open the door when he spoke.

_Please… Give me a chance to get close to you, Riya…_ he somewhat pleaded in his thoughts before he saw the girl faced him with a serious expression etched on her face.


	6. Being With You

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 6**

**Being With You**

* * *

Riya faced Shuichi with a serious expression etched on her face. Indeed, she was surprised to hear him somehow plead for her to talk to him. And she knew it was unlikely him at all judging from what she had observed since the day she transferred at Hanasakura Academy. But that's not what surprised her so much.

When she faced Shuichi, she felt her heart constrict and melt at the same time when she saw him actually pleading to her… with the use of his eyes. Seriously, he knew how to do that. It was unexpected for her to see that. And somehow, that made her heart agree to his pleading.

"Sure. But… can we talk someplace else? I'm not really comfortable here whenever I talk to you," she said in a soft and gentle tone.

She saw him showed a smile after he heaved a sigh of relief. She couldn't help but to smile, as well due to that gesture. He was like a kid at some point but she couldn't pinpoint what part of him was almost child-like.

In any case, they left the classroom together. They were greeted by Miss Ryuuzaki along the way and from what she could see in the teacher's eyes, there's a teasing glint on them. Though she knew what it actually meant, she chose to let it be. Misunderstanding will probably clear up soon. Besides, it's a teacher. And from what she had observed, Miss Ryuuzaki wasn't a type of person who would spread some unnecessary rumors.

When they finally got out of the building, Shuichi broke the deafening silence between them.

"I'm sorry I asked you something foolish," he said, without looking at her. "I guess I'm starting to hate those people who treated you differently. It won't make you feel better, I somehow knew that. But I really want to talk to you, to clear up some things with you."

All she could so at the moment was to smile and then she sighed.

"Why are you saying this to me?"

"I just… want to say it," he simply answered. And then he faced her. "I heard from one of our schoolmates that you were asked to become the soccer team's manager. And they also said that you accepted it."

"Yeah, I did. Somehow, it made me realize that not all people in our school are the same as Kirisawa-san and the others. In a way, the guys from the soccer team treated me the same way you treat me since day one. And I started to like them for it."

"That's good," he said, sincerity evident in his voice. "At least you managed to make some friends. I could only hope I could make you my friend and vice versa," he continued in a soft and hopeful tone.

Silence filled the air once again. Both of them continued to walk until they've reached a bridge. And then they stopped midway before turning to the side and watched the sun set on the horizon. Even Shuichi was amazed at the breathtaking view in front of them. She smiled as she looked at it.

It was years ago since the last time she felt calm like she has no care about what's going to happen tomorrow. Looking at the lovely and amazingly beautiful sunset with a person whom she wanted to avoid yet insistent on coming near her—it was something beyond what she had expected. It's really making her feel calm—something she hasn't felt whenever she was with a guy.

"Why are you so insistent on coming to me and talking to me even though I told you not to unless it's project-related?" she couldn't help asking without looking at him. Her eyes were focused on watching the slowly setting sun.

It took a while for Shuichi to answer the question. But still, she patiently waited for his answer. It's something he has to think over to convince her of his true intentions.

"Will you believe me if I said that—" he paused. "—that I wanted to be near you in order for me to protect you?"

She frowned and then she looked at him. "P-protect me? From what?"

"From… everything that might hurt you in any way. I want to protect you and shield you from the pain that they could possibly inflict on you."

Riya was utterly shocked when she heard that kind of answer from him. But seconds later, her face turned solemn and once again faced the horizon where the setting sun was.

"For a long time, I've been suffering already from so much pain. So there's no reason for you to do that for me. I guess I could say I was already immune to that. There's no way you could protect me from something I've been feeling for a long time," she stated in a serious tone.

Shuichi's face turned serious, as well. "I know it's a little bit unbelievable but it's true. There's something that drives me to do that for you. You might be getting immune from that but I won't let you bear it all alone. For some reasons, it pains me to see you sad most of the time. You're still having a hard time showing them your real smile. You're just too hurt to show it to them."

The two of them fell silent after that. Silence filled the air for some seconds before she burst out a chuckle that definitely surprised Shuichi.

She tried to stop chuckling before facing him. This time, she showed a faint smile—one that was different from what she had shown to him before.

"You're one extraordinary person, you know that? Since when did you become a psychologist?"

"I don't need to become a psychologist to know what you're actually feeling inside of you. At first, it's hard to know that. You were already avoiding people long before they come near you." Then he stared at her seriously. "That's what I thought at first. I have to admit that I was hurt when you did that. But since I don't really know the reason, I just let it pass. It took me a while to accept some possible reasons why you chose to isolate yourself from the rest while doing your job. But I couldn't just ignore the fact that I could never do something to shield you from our classmates' words against you. Somehow, I could feel you're getting hurt because of it and yet, you chose to hide it so that no one would know. I couldn't ignore that, Riya. I chose to be close to you since day one even though you're pushing me away from you."

Shuichi's words struck her to her heart. It was an overwhelming feeling that she had inside her heart at that moment knowing that someone actually doesn't want her to feel pain. Even though she tried pushing him away, he's still going to do what he wanted to do. And what's even more overwhelming was the fact that his eyes were full of sincerity as he stated those words.

She couldn't deny the fact that she's happy because of that.

"Thank you…" she sincerely said after moments of silence. "I never thought you would actually care for me that much even though I just met you six days ago. I even asked you to stay away from me and yet, here you are in front of me saying what you wanted to say." But then her face showed glint of sadness that Shuichi managed to see. "Still, I couldn't just force myself to be close to somebody. I still need o prepare myself. I hope you won't mind that."

He smiled after that. "I won't mind… if you promise not to make me stay away from you again. That's all I'm asking from you."

That's when she smiled and then she nodded as an answer. And for some reason, that made her happy.

They parted ways after they watched the sunset and left the bridge. But even if the sun had set that day, she could feel that she was about to welcome a brand new dawn different from many dawns she had welcomed before. It's because this time, a new tomorrow awaited her… along with her new friendship with Shuichi.

* * *

Kurama went home feeling somewhat elated but it's not a mystery to him. It was just a short time that he and Riya talked but the feeling it left inside of him was so different he couldn't even name it and yet, he's accepting it. That small talk somehow brought out something in him that was quite different and unexpected.

It's something… that he had never felt all his life. From being a spirit fox to being a human, he couldn't deny that he hadn't felt something quite mysterious and different. And through all that, he couldn't deny the fact that he was attracted to Riya since… day one.

No… Probably not just day one. There was this certain fact that he has ignored these past few days since he had somehow forgotten about it. But there's no way that he could simply connect it like that even thought it's just a feeling—an intuitive guess. He couldn't simply rely on that.

Probably, he'll soon find out the answers that he wanted to know. Right now, he'll just do what he and Yumi had agreed on.

And he'll definitely do it no matter what it takes.

But unknown to him, someone had already found out that certain fact he had ignored. And all that was left was the day of the revelation.

Or so Hiei and Koenma thought.


	7. I'll Never Leave You

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though. And that includes the plot.

**Warning: **The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER**

**CHAPTER 7**

**I'll Never Leave You**

* * *

After that conversation between Riya and Shuichi on the bridge a month ago, the two seemed to enjoy each other's company more often than not. A lot of people thought it was just for the project. But then they began to notice that the two usually have lunch together in the canteen, go home together and enjoy talking about a lot of things. They were really starting to become closer like what Shuichi really wanted for him and Riya ever since.

Unfortunately, not all people really appreciated that change going on between them. Among them were Ayako and her friends. And because of that, she somehow devised a plan to crush Riya's heart by destroying one important thing that the latter had kept for so long. In a way, she found out one of Riya's secret that was too precious to her. Her plan was to destroy it in front of her in order to get even somehow.

Their PE class was about basketball and it was held in the gym. All of them participated and Shuichi was too happy to see Riya was trying to participate even though his classmates were treating her differently. Anyway, not all treated her like that.

After that, they all headed to their classroom as soon as they were done changing their sports attire to their school uniform. It was also their free period after their PE class that's why they could do anything they want for an hour. Riya was walking alone through the corridor when Yukari approached her.

"Riya-sempai, good morning!" the blue-haired girl energetically greeted. "Sorry I haven't greeted you earlier. I was actually busy talking with my classmates about our project."

She smiled at that. "It's alright, Yukari-chan. You don't have to apologize on something like that."

"But you are the manager of the soccer team now. I shouldn't be ignoring you."

She just shook her head in slight disbelief but she remained smiling. "Alright, whatever you say."

"By the way, the coach said he wanted to see you after school. We'll also be having a welcome party later on so be sure to come." Yukari didn't even wait for her answer because the girl left in a hurry, leaving her still a bit surprised about the girl's announcement. And since she couldn't say no to that, she had no other choice but to agree.

Anyway, she doesn't have anything to do at home. It's better if she began hanging out with the guys from the soccer team. They seem to be nice people and she couldn't sense anything bad from them so it's alright.

But when she began to step closer to the classroom, she could feel her heart began to beat in an uneasy rate. It's as if saying that something will happen in there if she entered. She could already feel her hands freezing for some reasons. Even still, she has to know what would happen.

She heaved a few sighs when she reached the classroom's door. And after a few seconds of preparing herself, she opened it.

What actually 'welcomed' her sight was Ayako holding a small glass case familiar to her. Her eyes widened when she finally saw that it was the glass case where the Snow Rose was placed.

"Give that back to me!" she demanded before she could even think clearly. And that made her ran towards her seat where Ayako was standing while holding the case of the Snow Rose. But before she could even reach her seat, someone already forced her to stop running.

When she looked around to know who it was, she saw two guys holding both her hands as they smirked evilly. And then she looked at Ayako who was glaring at her.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Minamino-kun but you didn't listen. You two were always together for the past month ever since the two of you talked on the bridge," Ayako said.

But instead of looking at Ayako with pleading eyes just for her to return the rose, she countered it with a glare. "Then you should blame Minamino-kun for that. I tried to stay away from him but he's the one insisting on coming near me."

"That's because you're a flirt!" Ayako exclaimed out of anger beginning to consume her. "You should have stayed away from him no matter what he says or does. But no! You didn't."

The brunette looked at the case and then grinned evilly before she revert her gaze to Riya. And somehow, Riya got the message of that. "That's why I won't forgive you for it!" And then Ayako raised the glass case she's holding.

Riya's eyes widened when she managed to figure out what would Ayako do with the rose.

"No, don't do it!" she screamed but to no avail.

Ayako already did what she wanted to do. She threw the glass case to the floor hard that it caused the glass to shatter in front of Riya. And what's even painful for her was when she saw Ayako stepped on the rose, causing it to break apart, as well.

At the sight of that, Riya felt everything inside her was shattered along with the Snow Rose in front of her. Everything went blank when she saw that. She couldn't think clearly but there's one thought that ran through her mind over and over.

Her only source of faith in meeting Shuichi once again was already crushed. The only proof that a guy named Shuichi who changed her life and became her short-time friend… Now it was gone… And she couldn't feel anything else but pain…

Pain because she lost the only memory left to her by Shuichi, as if a part of her heart was lost as well.

And it made Riya close her eyes tightly and put the force on her hands being held by the two boys before she struggled hard to let go from their grip. She succeeded and then approached the shattered glass and rose on the floor, just beneath Ayako. She tightened her fist without noticing that tears began to freely streak down her cheeks.

"You should have listened to what I said, Miyuzaki," Ayako said with a victorious smirk on her face. "I found your little rose friend here that was somehow important to you. I don't know who the hell gave that to you, but at least I could get even with that. You're just a good-for-nothing outcast here, anyway. I warned you, didn't I? If you keep on coming near Minamino-kun, I will make your stay here a hell on earth. This is just the start."

But no one heard a word from Riya. All they could see was the continuous flow of her tears. And then they saw her stood up after picking a shard and a petal and closing it to her fist. Her bangs were covering her eyes; that's why they couldn't figure out what Riya was actually thinking.

"You're happy now, Kirisawa-san?" she asked coldly that somewhat gave a chill to Ayako when it was said. And then she looked at the said girl—her eyes were completely devoid of any emotions that made her even scarier. "I must say, you're really good at doing what you really wanted no matter how you'll do it. You could even get them whenever and wherever you wanted to in every method possible, even the worst ones. But have you ever thought that it would soon haunt you? The dirty tricks you're doing just to have everything you wanted… One day, it would soon haunt you anywhere. Just make sure you're really happy with what you're doing."

"Why do you care?" Ayako asked in an angry tone but Riya wasn't affected by it.

"Care?" she said sarcastically. "Who said that I care? I wasn't saying those words because I care. I was saying that because I hate you. I hate you for destroying the only memory that I've left from my friend. You might not understand this since no one dared to destroy something that's precious to you. Let me tell you something. You're the one who should call a flirt. And I want you to remember this. I'm the one who will be making your life a hell given me the chance because I won't back down. Not until you realized everything that you're doing. I'll make you pay for destroying one of my precious treasures," she added in an even colder voice before she turned and left with her heart engulfed in anger and pain even though broken.

She was not even mindful of the shard wounding her hand because of closing it to her fist. She tightened her fist while she was saying those words to Ayako. For her, it doesn't even hurt that much compared to the pain inside of her because of the loss of her treasured Snow Rose. Nothing would be able to fade that pain and put back the pieces of her heart that broke because of that loss.

When she went out of the classroom, she started walking fast and ran after some seconds. She just wanted to get out and away from that place. That was probably the longest running she ever did in her life. She didn't care if it was difficult since it didn't matter now.

She just needed to get away in order for her to cry over the loss of something precious to her ever since. Right now, that's the only thing that she cared about and nothing else.

* * *

Kurama was still standing at the door as he stared intently at the shards of glass and crushed silver rose on scattered on the floor. He still couldn't believe something like that happened to Riya. But the one thing he really couldn't believe in was the truth that was blindly lying in front of him all this time.

Unknown to Ayako, Riya and most of his classmates, he saw everything that happened. He was shocked to know a certain truth because of that but then he chose to remain composed. In addition to that, he was hurt… for Riya. He never realized that for the past five years since he last went to Hokkaido, he would actually meet the girl again whom he had given the Snow Rose as a symbol of their new found and short time friendship blossomed that one winter day.

Now he knew that Riya was the girl from that day. That's why she was so familiar to him. How could he have ignored something as important as that when it was already lying in front of him? He doesn't know if she was looking for him or fate brought her to him.

Whatever between the two, it doesn't matter. That must have been the reason why he was dreaming about her and that event back in Hokkaido. It was a preparation for him because he would then meet her once again.

_I can't believe that I have forgotten about that. Now I guess she would hate me because of it_, Kurama thought and then proceeded to go to the spot where the shards and the crushed Snow Rose were. But someone already touched his shoulder that made him stop before he could even crouch down to pick one of the rose's petals.

He then turned around to see who it was. And he was surprised to see the soccer team's captain Hondou Soujiro while his sister Hondou Yukari started picking up the shards and the crushed rose and placed it to a small box that she must have brought along.

He looked at Soujiro with questioning eyes. But Soujiro only stared at him with emotionless expression before he squeezed Kurama's shoulder and spoke.

"We'll take care of the broken pieces here. Right now, only you can fix what was broken in Riya-san's heart. Do what you must. This is your chance to renew everything that almost ended before," Soujiro said that baffled Kurama. The soccer captain's words somehow meant that he knew about him and Riya-san five years ago.

He saw Yukari stood up and looked at her as she smiled. "Onii-sama's right. Don't let everything end like the flower here that you gave to her before. Neither I nor Onii-sama could do anything to fix something what was already broken from the start. But we know that only you had the power to fix her heart. Help her pick up the broken pieces of her life."

Okay… It might be getting weirder by the second that passed but somehow, the siblings have a point. And if they really think that he could really help her pick up the pieces of Riya's life and glue it back together again, then he'll do it.

This was the only way for him to renew what has almost ended five years ago. Yes, he left Riya with a gift that time. But he never realized that he had also left a piece of his heart along with the Snow Rose. And he was happy to know that Riya had treasured that rose all these years, like how he had treasured his memory—that one single memory—with her.

With that in mind, Kurama ran and went out of the classroom in order to find Riya. He doesn't need to directions to do that. For some reasons, his heart knew where to find her. So even if she had to run and hide at the edge of the earth, he'll be able to find her… with the help of his heart.

_Wait for me, Riya…_

* * *

**_In the classroom…_**

Soujiro and Yukari were finished picking up the last shard and the parts of the crushed rose. They placed it in a box that Yukari brought and carefully closed it with the intention of giving it back to Riya when she returned.

As for Ayako, she could only stare wide eyed at the door where Shuichi came in and out right after Soujiro talked to him. And then she lowered her head before muttering something that was still loud enough to the whole class to hear.

"Why? Why? She's just a good-for-nothing outcast so why would he treat her and go after her like she's the most important person to him?" Ayako couldn't really believe it but the Hondou siblings could only stare at her nonchalantly.

And then they both decided to get out but then they saw a middle-aged man enter. They saw the man approached the wide-eyed Ayako and they were surprised to see him slapped the said girl's face.

"How long are you going to keep disgracing our family, Ayako? This is not how I raised you," the man said with disappointment and a bit of sadness evident in his voice.

Ayako only touched her left cheek which was slapped and then her eyes softened before she began to cry. The man who turned out to be her father hugged her gently and that was when she finally broke to tears. She cried hard; something that the class hadn't seen before.

The siblings finally decided to get out of the room and bowed to the teacher who was standing at the door before they completely left. When they reached the end of the corridor, they stopped and sat on the stairs.

"Onii-sama, do you really think it's a good idea to allow Riya-sempai and that demon fox to get close? He will probably be shock when he finds out about us and Riya-sempai being our mistress?" Yukari said softly.

But Soujiro didn't answer. That's when another voice came in and spoke.

"He already knew about me being a wielder," Yumi said when she appeared in front of them. "But it would probably take just a short time before Kurama finds out about the two of you and our mistress's true identity. The upcoming battle will decide their fate if they're really meant to be together. This is just one of the trials that they must overcome together if they want to be with each other."

Soujiro sighed before he stood up and faced Yumi. "But Captain, do you really think they could overcome this sort of trial?"

Yumi's face turned sober that made the siblings worry.

"I don't know. And I can't simply speculate on something like that. We'll just have to let them decide for that since it was fate that brought them together now. All we can do for them is to watch for what's about to happen."

They had no choice but to agree on that. But little did they know that by allowing Riya and Kurama to be closer than they were before would lead them to an unexpected story.

* * *

**_Soccer field…_**

Riya was panting heavily when she reached the tree beside the soccer field. She doesn't know why but it was the place that first entered her mind when she said to herself that she wanted to go to a place where she could burst it out. It was becoming too unbearable to her by the second that kept on passing by. And that's when she leaned her back on the tree and slowly sat on the ground. It was later followed by covering her face with her hands and sobbed hard.

She never ever thought that it would come to this. It might have been a simple rose for the others but no one really knew the value of that Snow Rose to her. It has become a part of her life ever since Shuichi gave it to her five years ago.

And now it's broken… just like her heart. She could feel it breaking even more by the second.

_I'm sorry, Shuichi-kun… I'm really sorry I got careless_, she thought as she cried hard; her shoulders began to shake due to that reason.

She couldn't tell how long she had cried but then she stopped and froze when someone spoke in front of her. The voice was so calming and gentle.

"You really don't have to cry all alone," the familiar voice said gently that made her stop and slowly removed her hands from her face.

Her eyes slightly widened at the sight of Shuichi in front of her. Her gently smiling face felt like it was more than enough to calm her down. But remembering the Snow Rose that was destroyed made her teary-eyed again. Along with Minamino Shuichi's gentleness, it would seem to be enough to crush her defenses and made her burst in front of him.

No one had ever seen her at that state after her father and brother's deaths except her mother. As much as possible, she would still endure the pain for as long as she could. But all of her strength seemed to have fallen down when her precious Snow Rose was destroyed in front of her. At that time, she felt that her heart was also destroyed along with it. And it was all that was needed to bring her defenses down.

Kurama was surprised and startled when he saw Riya burst out again. And this time, he knew that it would be long and hard. Perhaps the destroyed Snow Rose had made her completely crushed. And he couldn't tell why but there was only one thing that he wanted to do. He sat beside her and pulled her close to him. That way, he could muffle her cries and be able to embrace her in order to help her calm down.

It might not be enough right now but it was the least he could do. He needed to do what he could to ease Riya's pain at that moment. After all, he did leave her with just the Snow Rose and his first name five years ago. One day wouldn't be enough to make up for that long five years. All he has to do was to start now if he really wanted to make up for that. That was all he needed to do.

As for Riya, she was undeniably surprised when Kurama sat beside her and embraced her like that. Though it didn't stop her tears from falling, she was unexpectedly happy with that gesture. But she just couldn't understand why would he still follow her there and comfort her with his calm and gentle voice. As of now, that was all he wanted to know from him.

But after some seconds, no words came out from both of them. Kurama just continued embracing her while she was still crying silently with her face now buried in his chest. She couldn't help it since it felt so warm… the same warmth that she hadn't felt for a long time now. She thought it would only be a dream for her to feel that again.

But definitely, she was wrong. And the man who made that sort of dream come true was now beside her, comforting her. That made her finally stopped crying and lifted up her face to be able to look at Shuichi. And her heart melted at the sight of him smiling at her.

She frowned and her heart thumped when a familiar feeling rushed through her at the sight of that smile on his face. But when a sudden realization hit her, she couldn't let her mind believe in it.

_I-it can't be… can it? It's not him…_ But was that what she wanted to believe in?

"I guess you finally realized it, Riya," Kurama said that startled her a bit and made her snapped out of her musings. "I'm sorry… that I forgot about our friendship five years ago. You really took good care of that rose, huh?"

With that, he mind finally believed in that realization that had hit her. The boy in front of her—beside her right now—was no other than the Shuichi she had met five years ago. So it's really true that the Shuichi from back them and Minamino Shuichi was definitely the same person.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why didn't you come back to Hokkaido after that? You just left me with your first name and that Snow Rose…"

Shuichi looked at him sadly. "I'm really sorry… that I'd forgotten about it."

"You're lying!" she snapped that surprised them both. "It's a lie! There's no way you would forget something like that. That's why I want to know the real reason for that. You said it before, right? The Snow Rose you gave me would be a remembrance of our meeting that one winter day. And just like you said, it won't wilt. It also symbolizes that our meeting that time won't simply fade away in time."

He looked at her for quite some time before heaving a sigh and chuckled. "You're still that same girl I met that time."

"You're wrong…" she immediately replied. "I was not that girl anymore… the same girl you met that time. Anything can happen in five year's span of time, Minamino-kun. And I tell you, a lot had definitely happened during that span of time."

"I know. Your eyes aren't as happy as they were when I first met you." She saw him sighed once again before looking at her. "I couldn't tell you why I haven't returned to Hokkaido; that's why all I could say is sorry. And you're right. I haven't forgotten about that one chance meeting. Not once. I don't really know why I have to lie about that."

"It's a secret you mustn't reveal to others and that includes me. Isn't that right?" He was surprised with that. Nonetheless, he nodded. He couldn't believe she would actually remember that one.

And then silence filled the air for some moments before she spoke.

"But really… I'm really glad that I found you, Minamino-kun."

It was late when she realized that her tears began to streak down her face again that made Kurama worry. And since emotions overwhelming her were becoming too unbearable once again, she covered her face with her hands before sobbing. She just then felt that he embraced her again but this time, it wasn't enough to calm her down. All she wanted to do was to cry and cry.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry… I shouldn't be… crying in front of you like this… But… But… I just couldn't take it anymore. I don't know what to do anymore… All I wanted to do was to cry…" Riya said in between sobs.

Kurama's embrace to her tightened as those words created a sharp pain through his heart. It was becoming unbearable for him to see her like this.

"It's alright. Just go ahead and cry all you want. I'm not going to stop you," he gently said near her ear. "Just go ahead. This time, I won't leave you and let you cry all alone. I'm not going to let you bear that pain all alone from now on."

_Shuichi-kun… you really came back. Thank goodness._ That thought made her cry and smile inwardly at the same time but he didn't see it since her face was buried in his chest. And because of crying too much before feeling a little calmer, she could feel her eyes slowly drooping. Kurama continued to rub her back gently that definitely made her calmer than she was earlier. It was soothing that she felt she needed to rest for a while.

"Say, Minamino-kun…" she called out, almost in a whisper. Kurama didn't say a word but he just turned and looked at her. "Would it be okay if I sleep beside you for a while? After all that had happened today, I felt like—"

"It's okay," Kurama responded. "Just take a good rest. And don't worry; I'll be here for you. I won't leave you."

"Thank you…" she whispered. And then she began to close her eyes slowly. "Can I ask… for one more favor?"

Kurama just showed a faint smile before speaking. "Sure, anything you want."

She breathed in and out a few times and voiced out her concerns. "Would it be okay… if I call you Shuichi-kun?" She didn't get any response to that and it made her continue. "Since that was the name you first gave me when I asked for it, I just thought that it would be better if I call you that way. If you want, that is…"

She could only feel him rubbing her back soothingly before he answered a few seconds of silence.

"I'm already calling you by your first name. So I guess it would be unfair if you don't call me that way."

With that answer, she couldn't help but to smile weakly. "Thank you… Shuichi-kun." And then she just felt he mind and her self being drifted away from that place. But then she knew that someone would be there when she wake up.

Finally, she found him. She finally found Shuichi…

…the boy she fell in love with five years ago.

And right now, she couldn't ask for any other gift than to let him stay beside her. That way, she could escape the tragic reality that might separate them both soon.

* * *

Kurama couldn't help but to smile at the sight of Riya peacefully sleeping beside him. He knew she had been tired because of what happened these past few days and it's quite relieving to know that he could actually calm her down like that. He might not have noticed it but it seemed like a dream come true for him.

Finally, they were together again. And he vowed at that moment that he'll always be with her and protect her no matter what happens. Not only because he promised it to Yumi but he was doing it for his own reasons, as well; reasons that might be indefinable for now.

While slowly and continuously brushing her long black hair with his fingers (which he really loved doing, by the way), he sensed that someone was approaching. And when he looked up, he saw Miss Ryuuzaki and Yukari coming towards them.

The teacher smiled sadly at the sight of Riya sleeping before facing him.

"Thank you for being with her, Minamino-kun. I guess she got so tired already with all those things happened to her."

"It's something I chose to do, Ryuuzaki-sensei. So there's no need to worry about it," he replied followed by a faint smile. "And you're right. She got tired that's why I allowed her to sleep. It's one way for her to calm down after all that has happened. Or at least that's what I thought."

"It's a good thing she had you as a friend, Minamino-sempai," Yukari commented with a smile and then she placed the box she was carrying beside him. He gave a puzzled look to the blue-haired girl. "It's up to you what you're going to do with it. I can't afford to throw something so precious to Riya-sempai; that's why I'm giving it to you."

He looked at the box beside him for some seconds since he needed to think about what Yukari said to him. After that, he revert his gaze to the two ladies.

"Thank you for giving this to me, Yukari-san." He looked at the teacher soon after. "Ryuuzaki-sensei, would it be okay if I stay here with her… just until she wakes up? I might not be able to attend class with this but I really need to stay beside her."

He saw the teacher stared at him for some seconds before she smiled.

"It's alright. I'll tell the other teachers that you're helping her calm down. At some point, they knew what happened to her so I know they'll understand that. Just take care of her for us, Minamino-kun."

He nodded as a response. With that, Miss Ryuuzaki and Yukari left them. He then looked at Riya with such gentleness in his eyes.

_I'm definitely going to take care of you, Riya. And I won't leave you from now on. I promise…_

And then he embraced her slightly tight before gazing at the clear blue sky. Now he could feel that a new day would be something to look forward to, despite the danger he was facing along with Yusuke and the others. He could feel that Riya could somehow give him a good omen about the next coming days of his life from now on.


	8. A Meeting Amidst The Battle

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though. And that includes the plot.

**Warning: **The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER**

**CHAPTER 8**

**A Meeting Amidst The Battle**

* * *

**_The next day…_**

It was still the regular mornings for most of the students of Hanasakura Academy but Kurama felt otherwise. Not only it wasn't regular but also because it was quite peaceful since neither the demon shinobi nor the Legendary Weapon Wielders made an appearance so he was able to rest that night.

But seriously, who was he fooling? He knew pretty well the real reason why that morning was unlike any other mornings he had greeted along the way. And he was quite happy to know that reason.

When he arrived at the classroom, he immediately looked at the certain spot of that place. And he smiled when he saw the girl who became the reason for that day of his to be different.

He saw Riya reading something on some papers on her hands and she was thoroughly reading it. But before he could even greet her as soon as he approached her, he saw her stopped from what she was doing and looked up. He was caught off guard for some seconds when she looked at him before she smiled that made him hold his breath.

"Good morning, Shuichi-kun," Riya greeted in a happy tone that he hasn't heard from her since she transferred to that school and it was really a good thing.

_At last, you're trying to regain your true self, Riya_, Kurama thought as he returned the gesture before proceeding to his seat. And after that, he looked at her and the papers she was reading.

"You're quite busy, I see," Kurama commented. "Don't read it too seriously or you'll get wrinkles of your forehead because of you frowning a lot," he said before pointing on her forehead gently. He was glad to be able to see her smile because of that.

"Sorry. I was rereading the draft I made for our project so I could tell if I have mistakes or not. I don't want to have a failing grade because of this, you know," she said without looking at him.

He could only smile at that. "I also made a draft but I left it at home. Will it be okay if I could get your draft to have some comparison and so that I could start merging our ideas regarding our project?"

She nodded and then looked at him. "Sure thing. I'll just do some editing so that it would be understandable and organized at the same time. But you're going to help me do that, right?"

"Of course."

And that morning continued with the two of them discussing what they were going to do with their Literature project. All the others could do was to watch them like that. They thought that what Ayako did yesterday only made them closer than before, which was not supposed to be. But Kurama could care less. As long as Riya was alright, that was all that matters.

* * *

Speaking of which, they haven't seen Ayako that whole morning. She hadn't attended any of her morning classes that day. And it was weird for Riya to feel worried about the person who destroyed her precious Snow Rose. But she has to thank her, still. It was Ayako's actions that led her to finally find Shuichi.

"Are you alright, Riya? You've been spacing out," Shuichi asked her that startled her a bit. She just gently nodded as an answer.

But she could tell that he wasn't convinced with her answer. That's why she just gave him a smile before speaking.

"I'm alright, Shuichi-kun. I was just thinking about… something else. So there's no need to worry," she said reassuringly.

"Are you sure? You really don't have to hide your problems to me. You can tell me anything," Shuichi insisted.

She just nodded and then continued what she was doing a while back. He then sighed as a sigh of giving up and resumed revising her draft.

Little did they know that a certain someone's fate will be set in motion because of what was about to happen later that one particular day.

* * *

Riya was about to head out to the Chemistry Laboratory to hand out a file to a teacher there as per request of Miss Ryuuzaki. And as she walked the hallway leading to that room, she suddenly stopped to her tracks when she saw someone she was not expecting to see.

"Kirisawa-san…" Riya muttered but then she frowned a bit when she noticed Ayako's eyes that stared at her. They were… sad in some way. It was also saying that Ayako had become vulnerable somehow. And that's what she couldn't understand.

It was a complete silence between the two girls, not to mention there weren't any students or teachers on that part of the hallway. It was just the two of them. That silence between them lasted for some minutes before Ayako decided to speak.

"You must be wondering… why I didn't attend my classes today," Ayako said that made her slightly surprised.

_How in the world did she know that? But… she really does look and sound vulnerable. What exactly made her like that? _Riya couldn't help asking that to herself as she continued to look at Ayako.

She was startled when the brunette called her.

"Miyuzaki, I'm… I…" But somehow, Ayako was flustered and that made Riya frown a bit. Then Ayako looked at her again, with slight determination evident in the brunette's eyes. But that sort of determination wasn't actually scary unlike before. Ayako was just… determined.

And she smiled because of that.

"If you want to say something to me, you don't have to be flustered and be shy about it. I won't eat you even if I wanted to because you destroyed my precious Snow Rose," Riya said in a form of a joke and not as a threat. "There's a really big reason for you not to attend your classed today, right?"

Ayako's eyes widened before nodding.

"Could it be that… I'm one of those reasons?" Riya asked but she got no response from Ayako.

It took Ayako a while to finally answer when suddenly, she noticed Riya looked out the window and had her eyes narrowed while doing that. Ayako was confused because of that since that was the first time she saw Riya that serious.

And before they could even react, both of them saw a dark ball of energy about the size of a basketball hovering around and stopped in front of the window where the two girls were most likely near. It suddenly emitted a dark glow before exploding.

* * *

Almost all of the students of Hanasakura Academy suddenly felt the ground shake terribly at the same time they heard a loud explosion. To their surprise, it was near the Chemistry Laboratory.

Kurama was already outside the building when the sudden earthquake and the explosion happened. When he looked up to observe, all the color in his face drained as he saw the thick smoke coming from the area near the Chemistry Laboratory.

Walls destroyed, windows shattered and the heat from the fire began to increase that would possibly melt or weaken the structure it ran over.

But that was not what actually made him quite… frightened. It was the fact that Riya was on the area of the explosion. Time seemed to stop; he didn't know what to do. And then he noticed a certain figure—a demon shinobi to be exact—floating in mid-air inside the smoke.

"What happened here?" someone asked behind him that made him turn around to have a look at that person.

"Hiei…" And then he looked at the silhouette of a demon shinobi in the smoke. "Why would they attack this school with so many people around?"

"Worried about your princess, Kurama?"

He was surprised to hear that from the three-eyed demon. But before he could say anything more, Hiei spoke again.

"I guess the demon shinobi is not our only problem," Hiei said and then looked at a certain direction just a little above the school.

On the rooftop, to be exact. He saw someone holding a familiar sword.

"Yumi…" Kurama muttered as he gazed both on the rooftop and on the area of the explosion.

**Protect Riya for me, Kurama. She's still alive inside the building but I guess she'll be having a hard time going out. I'll deal with the demon shinobi along with the other wielders. You have to save her… before it's too late…** Yumi said to him telepathically. And that finally made him regain his determination to do it. He faced Hiei before he left.

"Could you call Yusuke and Kuwabara for me? This has something to do with our case and I don't think we'll be able to handle it with just the two of us."

Hiei looked at him nonchalantly. "What are you going to do?"

"I have to save her," Kurama said with full of determination. "But I have to hurry up. The heat from the fire would soon cause some parts of the building to collapse. I might not be able to save her when that happens."

And with that, he left Hiei there somewhat puzzled as to what he was really thinking of doing.

* * *

**_On the rooftop…_**

"You really have some bad habit, Kaori," Yumi said icily as she held on to her sword.

The Dragon Sword of Flame.

Surprisingly, it was a different Yumi that appeared here unlike the first time she made an appearance to the Spirit Detective's team since her form right now was turned to a 4'11" girl with blond hair at thigh length, purple eyes and a fair skin tone. The form she had before was a 5'2" girl with shoulder-length blond hair and green eyes.

The demon shinobi Kaori just smirked before scoffing. "What can I say? I was raised like that… to be an excellent demon shinobi."

Yumi remained sober that made Kaori fixed a stance.

"You better say your prayers before I finish you, Fire Wielder," Kaori said and then began to charge at the blonde that caught her a little off guard.

But just as when Yumi began raising her sword, she saw a katana stabbed Kaori to the chest through and through. Not only that, she also saw the one who did that in a fast speed. She then watched the demon shinobi catch her breath while holding her through and through wound. After that, she looked around to see the one who did something like that to Kaori.

A few feet away from her, she saw a short person (just about her height since she transformed back to her original form) with black spiky hair and a white bandana on his forehead. His red eyes were both fiery and cold at the same time when she looked at them.

"You're a fire demon, aren't you?" Yumi asked rather than asking what she really wanted to ask. _Baka… just because you got slightly amazed by his speed. But seriously, his eyes were as cold as ice… which was unusual for a fire demon._

Hiei didn't say anything which she took as a yes for an answer. But then she heard him spoke when he looked behind her.

"Behind you!"

Yumi immediately turned around and then she saw Kaori approaching her with the sword raised. She tightened her grip on her sword's hilt and poised for battle. After that, she closed her eyes and suddenly activated her own spirit energy before transferring it to the Dragon Sword of Flame.

"Dragon Sword Reform… Flame Sickle!" she shouted and then her sword began to glow bright red. After some seconds, it was then turned into its visible form.

A silhouette of a long sickle covered in flames.

With that, she faced Kaori and threw the sickle to the demon shinobi.

Even though Kaori was fast, the sickle immediately surrounded her and its curved blade struck her through the heart. After a few seconds, Kaori's body was set ablaze and was immediately turned to ashes since the burning chain of the sickle still surrounded the demon shinobi.

It was something that Hiei had never been able to observe, not even once. He could see the fire being channeled from Yumi's hands to the chain in order to burn the severely injured demon shinobi.

The sickle disappeared after the body turned to ashes and then returned to its sword form.

"This is one skill that I must only use to fulfill my duty of protecting my mistress's life. But I don't expect you to understand me," Yumi said sadly while looking at the sword before she looked at Hiei who was somewhat baffled with what she said.

And with that, the Fire Wielder vanished after being surrounded by several helixes of flame. But that left Hiei to ponder on what Yumi said.

_Must only use to fulfill her duty of protecting her mistress's life…_ He scoffed after that.

"What foolishness…" he mumbled. "There's no way you could protect someone with that kind of weapon you have. It will only lead to your death…"


	9. His Battle And The Fifth Weapon

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though. Of course, that includes the plot.

**Warning: **The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 9**

**His Battle And The Fifth Weapon**

* * *

**_Inside the building…_**

Rubbles and debris caused by the sudden explosion began to fall one by one. Fire had slowly but steadily continued to spread as thick smoke covered the area's visibility. But it was when another explosion took place from the laboratory that Riya managed to regain consciousness shortly after she ran and avoided the explosion.

She remembered the moment when the explosion happened. She immediately figured out that the floating dark orb a while back came from a demon shinobi and out of instinct, she grabbed Ayako's hand. But before they could fled away further, the orb exploded in an intense magnitude. And she was thrown away by that intensity along with Ayako, with both of them hitting the ground hard and losing consciousness shortly after.

When she looked beside her, she saw Ayako starting to regain consciousness as the brown-haired girl was slowly opening her eyes. Riya tried to sit but immediately held her head when she felt pain. It was most likely cause by the impact that she took when she hit the ground. She also saw Ayako slowly sat and looked around, only to see her get shocked with what the girl saw around.

"What happened? Was it caused by that dark orb?" Ayako immediately asked after looking around. Riya was surprised to know that Ayako could see that dark orb when she knew very well that a person without spiritual ability would never be able to see that.

Not unless… Ayako was not just an ordinary human living in the Human World.

"You can see that orb?" Riya still asked just in case. Besides, she needed to know.

Ayako looked at her confusingly because of the seriousness on her face. Nevertheless, she nodded as an answer to that.

She sighed and then smiled when she looked at Ayako. "I guess you're not as ordinary as I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

But before Riya could give an answer, she managed to sense something dangerous that made her turn around and narrow her eyes as she looked at a certain direction. It went even narrower when a figure emerged from the thick smoke and spreading fire.

"Stay behind me, Kirisawa-san," Riya said without looking at her. Though still confused and now scared, Ayako complied with that.

The figure became clearer the moment it stepped out of the smoke. A human-like demon with wings of an eagle behind him emerged, holding a scythe with black handle.

"I'm surprised you made it alive from that explosion, humans," the demon said while smirking.

But it didn't made Riya scared at all. All she did was to smirk at the demon's statement. "It surprised me more that you demon shinobi showed up in this world. I can't believe you still have the guts to show your ugly face to us humans."

That surprised the said being and angered him in the process. "What did you say?" Then he pointed his scythe to Riya but she did not even flinch. "Let's just see if you could still say those words after this."

To Riya's surprise, the scythe began to generate a dark purple orb and aimed it not to her but to the ceiling above her and Ayako. The orb flew fast towards the ceiling and it exploded on the point of impact. Then Riya tried not to let her guard down.

However, the intensity of the impact caused a large part of the ceiling to collapse completely. A large part of that ceiling was about to hit Ayako who was just standing there frozen because of shock.

"Watch out!" Riya yelled and pushed Ayako as hard as she could before the large chunk and she dropped to the ground at the same time.

"Miyuzaki!" Ayako screamed the moment that the ceiling dropped and crushed to the ground. All Ayako could do was to stare with wide eyes while waiting for the cloud of dust and smoke to clear out. She was surprised to see a familiar figure whose half of the body lied under that chunk of the ceiling. She could not move because of that since the one under that large chunk was Riya.

The fact that Riya saved her from being crush continued to echo in Ayako's mind. She thought Riya was dead but then she saw her trying to stand up while trying to lift the rubble. That was when she got her senses back and approached Riya to help her lift away that large rubble and somehow, they managed to do so.

Ayako helped Riya to sit down before saying anything. "Are you alright?" Ayako asked in a completely worried tone.

Riya managed to smile at her. "Yeah, I guess I could say that but…" Then Riya looked at her right foot that was bleeding at that moment because of the rubble. "I'm really going to make that jerk pay for this!" Riya said before clenching her fist.

"I thought that was our job as your warriors, Mistress Riya."

Both Riya and Ayako turned to where they heard the voice. But Riya's eyes widened when she saw two figures emerging from the spreading fire.

"Yukari-chan… Soujiro-kun… How…?" Riya could only mutter after confirming the identity of the hidden figures on the smoke.

Soujiro's face went serious and looked at the demon shinobi who kept on touching the blade of his scythe. "We can't explain it to you right now, Mistress. But we'll be much willing to tell you everything once we take you out of here."

Yukari then faced Ayako who was beside Riya. "It might be weird for you when we ask this… but can you take Riya-sempai out of here? We don't want her to get caught up in the battle."

However, Ayako did not know exactly what to do. She was having hard time dealing about that. Then she saw the siblings materialized two beautiful weapons—weapons that Riya did not expect to see from them.

"The Scythe of the Deep Waters and the Flute of Melody… The weapons chose the two of you to become their masters?" Riya asked that made Ayako even more confused.

_What the heck is going on here? And who is this being that's attacking us? The Hondou siblings holding some sort of weapons? I really don't know what's happening now…_ Ayako thought as she watched the siblings poised for a two on one battle. But then she stopped watching them when she saw Riya trying to stand up despite the bleeding wound on her right foot and now, on her left thigh. She stood up as well, and supported Riya. "You don't have to force yourself to stand up, Miyuzaki."

"If we don't get out of this place, we'll be dead before this fight finishes. And I don't think that demon shinobi would even try to let us go," Riya stated.

Before Riya could continue, Ayako saw another dark orb floating outside the building and she was surprised to figure out that it would come after them when she saw it approaching. The orb glowed and created another intensifying explosion.

"NO!" Ayako screamed and closed her eyes tightly.

Just at that time, something happened to Ayako and one of the three remaining Legendary Weapons located in the isolated Zircon Lighthouse, also known as the Light Shrine under the custody of the Spirit World.

* * *

"Koenma-sama, this is terrible! The Legendary Weapon at the Light Shrine had just mysteriously vanished!" one of Koenma's agents announced over the transmission in a panic.

Koenma stopped stamping the files on his table and rashly lifted his head after hearing that. And then he looked at the screen where the agent was communicating.

"But how did that happen? We have the Light Shrine completely guarded so there's no way it would just vanish."

"I don't know about that, Sir. But the shrine suddenly emitted a blinding light that made us distracted and disoriented, as well. When the light faded, we rushed inside and we found that the Staff of Shimmer vanished. And just like what happened with the first four weapons, only the energy of the weapon remained at the scene," the agent informed.

The toddler's face went sober and looked down.

_This is getting even worse than I thought. And to think another weapon would disappear in the middle of the case. Yusuke has to know about this… no matter how hard the mission might turn out. I could only hope this does not end in another tragedy…_

After that, he told the agents what to do next. Then shortly after, he called Botan to let her inform Yusuke on the news.

* * *

"What? Another weapon had disappeared?" Yusuke exclaimed when Botan told the news Koenma just said a while back. "But we haven't located even just one of the four other weapons yet. Now we're going to have to deal with another one?"

"I know it's getting harder, Yusuke. But Koenma-sama could only trust you with this. He felt that you and the others could finish this mission," Botan said seriously. _But I can't tell you that your cousin Riya-chan might be involved in this. Sorry, Yusuke…_ she added in her thought.

No one said a word after that. Yusuke was still thinking of what else to do when they heard a familiar voice.

"But before you go and find the weapons, we have a situation that you might want to deal with, detective."

Yusuke turned only to see an extremely serious looking Hiei standing behind him.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Yusuke asked.

"Hanasakura Academy is currently being attacked by demon shinobis. Fortunately, our targets, the Legendary Weapon Wielders, are there," Hiei stated that made Yusuke and Botan shocked.

"Are you serious?"

* * *

Kurama stopped from running when he felt an immensely powerful spiritual energy hovering near. But he's sure that it's not from the Arrow of Wind. He felt that just at the same time another strong shaking was felt along with the sound of another explosion coming from the same direction where the first one happened. He felt his heart pound faster than it was a while ago and for some reason, he could not proceed to the stairs that would lead him to the scene of explosion. Nevertheless, he continued to run towards the stairs.

But then he halted to a stop when he sensed something that was just a few meters away from him.

"Who's there?"

He then heard a soft but sinister laugh just before a figure of a woman began to emerge from the dark corridor. After a few moments, he could see the face of the woman completely. She was beautiful physically and that beauty would entrance any man. But since his olfactory sensation was stronger than anyone, he could say that that beauty the woman in front of him possessed was quite a deadly one and he loathed that deadly scent of a demon shinobi.

"You really do care for that girl, don't you?" she said that made Kurama frown.

"What are you talking about?" he asked coldly as he looked at her the same way. "Did you do something to Riya?"

The demon shinobi smirked evilly as she took out her sword from the scabbard on her back. "Me? I did not do anything. But from what I can tell, she's probably dead by now… along with the other Legendary Weapon Wielders."

Kurama's eyes widened at that.

"_She's probably dead by now…"_ Those words kept on ringing in his mind for several seconds before a telepathic message disrupted it. There was only one person right now that he could think of who knew he was in that building besides Hiei.

_**She is not dead, Kurama. She is still alive.**_ That telepathic message from Yumi made him inwardly sigh of relief. But he never let the enemy in front of him knew that. Then he heard the Fire Wielder continue to speak. _**Whom you are dealing with right now is a demon shinobi with an amazing swordsmanship but she does not have the same level of intellect as you have. I know you can pull this off. You do not have to worry about Riya. The other wielders are protecting her. You just have to remain your head cool if you wanted to survive.**_

After that, the demon shinobi lunged to him with her sword. Kurama pulled a rose from his hair and transformed it to his Rose Whip.

"An unlikely weapon for a good-looking guy as you… But do you think a whip like that could hurt me?"

He showed a faint smile and fixed a stance. "Yumi's right. You don't have that much intellect in your head."

That angered the woman and lunged to him faster. He tightened his grip on his whip and began to attack her with it. He saw her got caught off guard and surprised when she saw the whip wrapped her body, particularly to her neck and waist. She dropped her sword when the thorns from the whip began to dig into her skin. Most likely, the pain was starting to overtake her as she tried to let go but to no luck since Kurama was pulling the whip in order for the thorns to dig deeper and injure her.

And since Riya was being attacked by another demon shinobi, he couldn't waste more time for that fight. He has to hurry even though Yumi assured him that Riya was not dead. He has to see for himself that she was still alive and alright.

"This game is over so better not spread your sickening scent in this place," Kurama said as coldly as he could that, without a doubt, made his enemy slightly quiver. He knew that since he was holding the whip that wrapped around her.

Without delay, he pulled the whip with much force that cut the demon shinobi's body into pieces and dropped on the floor. Blood flowed from the body that stained the floor and he just looked at it with hatred in his eyes. The whip in his hands returned to its rose form and then he sighed.

"Kurama!" He heard someone called out and when he turned around, he wasn't surprised to see Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Botan approaching.

He saw their slightly surprised look when they looked at the sliced body pieces of the demon shinobi with her head just a few inches away from his foot who had an extremely shocked expression on her face.

"You did this?" Kuwabara asked after a while. Kurama nodded and glanced at Hiei.

"Is she safe?" Hiei asked after that.

Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan exchanged glances to each other when that question was asked.

"She? What are you talking about? Who's that 'she' Hiei mentioned?" Yusuke inquired as he faced Kurama confusingly.

Kurama decided not to face Yusuke but instead, he faces Hiei. "She's fine… I guess. I haven't proceeded to the scene since this demon shinobi stopped me here. But according to Yumi, she's alive since the other wielders were protecting her from the other demon shinobi's attack."

Yusuke sharply faced Kurama that caught the red head surprised.

"Alright, Kurama! You're starting to lose me here. What the heck is going on? Who is this 'she' you're talking about? And what does the other wielders have something to do with this?"

"There's not much to tell, Yusuke. All I could tell you is that the wielders are currently the ones who was about to save a friend of mine who's in danger right now," Kurama replied.

Yusuke sighed after several moments of silence. "I don't know what's really going on for the wielders to do that. But as of now, we're tasked of locating the fifth Legendary Weapon that disappeared from the Light Shrine."

"What kind of weapon?" he asked.

"Koenma-sama said that it was a staff. And there's only one weapon which has that kind of description," Botan answered.

"The Staff of Shimmer, the Legendary Weapon that was said to give the wielder the ability to manipulate the energies derived from the forces of the sun, moon and the stars," Kurama murmured.

"But seriously, this mission is getting way harder than we thought," Kuwabara said. "And to think another weapon would be gone missing in the middle of our mission. I can't believe this."

But Kurama somehow didn't hear it. His mind was traveling somewhere and in a way, Hiei figured that one out because of his silence.

"Don't you think you have a girl to save right now, Kurama?" Hiei suddenly said that surprised the others and returned his mind to reality.

Botan faced Kurama with worries. "A girl? Was she the girl that the Fire Wielder mentioned before when we first met the wielders?"

He nodded and then began to run towards the stairs.

"Kurama, wait up!" Kuwabara called up but Kurama didn't even look back.

Right now, his only priority was Riya's safety. But before they could even take a single step on the staircase, there was a blinding light that engulfed the whole building. And it got everyone in that building completely distracted because of intense brightness.

* * *

_(A/N: Sorry about updating this story late since I only have little computer time since it's vacation. But I'm really going to try uploading the next chapter as soon as I can. Please read and review so that I'll know what you think about this.)_


	10. Getting Closer And Her Resolve

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though. And that includes the plot.

**Warning: **The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 10**

**Getting Closer and Her Resolve**

* * *

"W-what's happening? Where is this bright light coming from?" Kuwabara asked as he tried to cover his eyes from the blinding light.

"Most likely from the one who has the fifth Legendary Weapon which was the Staff of Shimmer," Kurama stated despite being distracted.

The blinding light lasted for a few more minutes before it faded. But to Kurama's surprise, Yusuke and the others had vanished without a trace. He tried calling them out but to no avail. They really vanished just at the same time as the light vanished.

_Where are they? Why did they… vanish all of a sudden?_ He asked in his thoughts but the answer he got was another telepathic message from Yumi.

_**That bright light had unintentionally transported your friends somewhere. It's one of the powers of the Staff of Shimmer.**_

Kurama frowned at the statement. _**It seems to me you knew who has the fifth weapon.**_

_**Fortunately, yes. Though it was a little too sudden for us to know that, **_Yumi replied. _**You better hurry up coming here before Riya lose even more blood because of her injury.**_

Without a word, he began running on the staircase and in no time, he reached the scene. But then he was surprised to see that the other wielders had disappeared (given that he didn't know who they were). The demon shinobi must have been blasted to atoms thanks to that intense light which might have been caused by an attack from the Staff of Shimmer. The other thing that surpised him was the fact that Ayako was there as she tried to walk with the unconscious Riya on her back.

"Kirisawa-san, what are you doing here?" Kurama immediately asked as he approached the said girl.

"I don't have time to explain everything, Minamino-kun. Right now, Miyuzaki must be taken to a hospital. She has serious injuries because of the part of the ceiling that almost crushed her and right now, she's bleeding profusely. And I don't think this part of the building could hold us much longer."

Though confused with Ayako's answer, Kurama complied to what she wanted him to do. He took Riya from the brunette's back and carried her bridal-style. When he scanned Riya, he found out that Ayako was telling the truth about the injuries and the bleeding. With that, they all rushed to get out of that building.

Paramedics immediately put Riya to the stretcher as soon as the three of them went out. Ayako decided to stay there and wait for her father to fetch her there while he decided to accompany the paramedics to take Riya to the nearest hospital.

* * *

Riya woke up shortly after the wounds were treated which relieved Kurama so much. He was getting too much worried about her while she was being rushed to the hospital and he couldn't actually let go of her hand along the way.

"Why are you still here, Shuichi-kun? You should be getting home by now," Riya said the first thing she opened her eyes and saw him sitting on the edge of the bed while still holding her hand. And when they noticed that, both of them immediately let go of their hands and avoided their stares.

It was a good thing they did that since both of them were actually blushing at the time. At the very least, none of them would notice that. Riya was holding her right hand which was held a while back by Shuichi.

_I can't believe this. How long does Shuichi-kun kept on holding my hand like that? And why am I feeling so… nervous? Why does my heart beat like this as if it wanted to get out of my chest? _She kept on asking to herself as she placed her right hand to her chest where her heart was located. And she could feel it pounding at an erratic rate.

As for Kurama, he couldn't help but to blush because of that. _It's a normal thing a friend would do to someone who's really about his friend's well-being… Right? But seriously, why am I blushing like this just because she saw me holding her hand?_ He heaved a heavy sigh in order to hide what exactly he was feeling at that moment. Of course, he needed to do that to calm his erratically beating heart. It never occurred to him before that something like this would have happen to him under these unusual circumstances.

"Anyway… um… thank you for bringing me here. You saved me," Riya said sincerely that made Kurama look at her. Again, there was this smile of hers that he kept on seeing ever since that day of revelation.

That made him smile, as well. "You saved Kirisawa-san from a falling part of the ceiling that was about to crush her, didn't you? Even though you knew you were to be crushed instead of her when you do that…"

"I couldn't tell you much about that. I could barely remember what happened after that one." _I just couldn't tell you what REALLY happened since it might shock you. And to think Ayako-chan had __that__ thing…_ she added in her thoughts.

"It's alright. You'll be allowed to get out of here as soon as you woke up, according to the doctors that examined you," Kurama said. "But I have to accompany you to your house just to be sure you're going to be safe."

"You really don't have to do that, Shuichi-kun. It's already enough that you're the one who watched me here the whole time. I can go home by myself. I'll be fine, I promise" she insisted.

But before he could answer that, a doctor entered the room she was in.

"I guess I would agree to this young man's suggestion of accompanying you to your house. Your right foot and left thigh's wounds are too deep for you to be able to move it on your own right now. The fragments that caused your wounds were sharp enough to hit some nerves. Because of that, you'll be having a hard time moving them. That's why you'll be using a wheel chair for the time being," the doctor informed that made her a bit disappointed.

She sighed after hearing that and it made Kurama look at her.

"I guess I'll just ask Ryuuzaki-sensei for me to have home-schooling for that 'time being' I'll be staying in my apartment. Maybe I'll ask my aunt to help me with some of the chores I have at home. I hope I'm not going to disturb her with that."

Then she saw Shuichi stood up and faced her. "Why don't we talk about it while accompanying you to your house? I'll do what I can about school so you could rest better. There's nothing for you to worry about, okay?"

All she could do was to look at Shuichi with serious expression on her face. Most likely, she was thinking about what he wanted to do. And for some reason, she couldn't afford to fail him.

Once again, she sighed but this time, she did it exasperatedly as a sign of giving up.

"Alright. If you're really that insistent, I guess I'll let you do it your way," Riya answered before she faced him and smiled.

She was happy to see him smiled after that, as well. It was one thing that she would never trade for anything else.

Or at least that's what she thought… for now.

* * *

**_Later that night, at the park…_**

The wind blew gently on that side of the city. It's one thing where anyone would feel calm and relieved. The stars on the sky shimmered as several clusters were displayed, forming a little gallery of constellations that formed as decorations of the sky. For many, it would have been a wonderful night.

Yes. It was indeed wonderful. But four people on one side of the park couldn't see that for a reason that was so serious. And it was all about the wielder of another Legendary Weapon.

"I guess it's about what happened a while back at the school that you made me come here," Ayako commented to the other three wielders in front of her.

Yumi (in her older and taller form) could only show a faint smile and nodded. "I know it's quite surprising for you but it's also the same for the three of us, as well. To think that your Wielder's Crystal, the Amber Heart, inside of you would react because of that demon shinobi's attack… which made you summon the Staff of Shimmer, the fifth Legendary Weapon that disappeared from Koenma-sama's custody."

Ayako frowned. "Koenma-sama? Who's that?"

"We'll do the full explaining later on," Yukari said. "But we actually called you here for some reasons and we wanted to know your decision as soon as possible. We can't afford to lose the upcoming battle."

"Yukari!" Soujiro hissed but it didn't budge his sister. Yukari was just looking at the brunette seriously. "Captain, are you sure about this?" he asked Yumi as soon as he faced the said girl.

Yumi went quiet for a while before she spoke. "That depends on Kirisawa-san's decision regarding the possession of the Legendary Weapon of Light. We need to at least respect that."

He didn't say anything anymore regarding that. For some reason, he couldn't actually object to the fact that Ayako might become a member of their team to protect their mistress from threats. And that was when he heard Ayako spoke.

"If I choose your option, what would be my duty?"

"Just simple. The same as ours, but that depends on you, Kirisawa-san. It's either you choose our option for you… or make up your own," Yumi said.

Silence fell to the four of them as the gentle wind continued to blow softly.

"Alright…" Ayako said after several more seconds of silence. "I'll pick your choice. I'll join your team. That way, I could protect her as a repentance for what I did to her before." And then she faced Soujiro and Yukari. "But let me ask you something. Does Miyuzaki know ever since that you possess some of the Legendary Weapons? By the way she looked at you back there when you materialized your weapons, she seemed extremely surprised."

The siblings glanced at each other and then to Yumi before Soujiro decided to speak.

"She didn't know we have those weapons ever since. But we're forced to reveal that to her when we sensed that she was in danger. I guess we couldn't protect her in the shadows anymore."

Yumi closed her eyes and sighed. And after a while, she opened them again. "We may not be able to do that in the shadows for much longer now that our identity is revealed to her. But we still have to do what we can to prevent the demon shinobi from killing her. When we're not near, we're going to have to entrust her safety to that fox demon. For now, that's the only option we have."

No one had spoken a word after that.

* * *

"Shuichi-kun, what in the world are we doing here at the hospital's rooftop? I thought I should go home already since you wanted me to rest," Riya said while Kurama continued to push her wheelchair right to the middle of that rooftop.

But he only answered her with a smile and she just gave up like that.

_Seriously, this guy has a lot of surprises up his sleeves. _And when she felt that the wheel chair stopped moving, she couldn't help but to look up to the sky. Only to be amazed to see the stars plastered to the night sky were shimmering and it was incredibly beautiful.

It has been a long time since she last saw stars that way in a city. And this was probably…

"You like it?" Riya heard Kurama said that made her look at him.

She saw him looking at the stars, as well with a smile on his face. It was a smile that really showed appreciation to all the wonderful things of the world and of life. After that, she looked at the sky.

"Yeah, I like it. But why did you bring me here? And how did you manage to have access to this place when you know that only authorized personnel are allowed to go here?"

"One of my father's friends is a chief surgeon of this hospital. Well, my stepfather, that is. Anyway, I asked him a while back if I could take you here even for a while before I take you home," Kurama explained without looking at Riya. "Several constellations would be appearing on the sky tonight so I decided to take you here. I want you to see it for yourself."

"You're one unpredictable guy, you know that? Good-looking but both open and critical minded all at the same time. I guess I'll be having a hard time catching up with the level of your intellect."

She just heard him chuckle at that and she just smiled. This was actually one of the moments she never expected to happen to her and Shuichi. Though she has to admit that they were closer than how they were before, and it was even more different compared to the first time they met on the field of white snow five years ago. It might have been a distant memory now but she still treasured it so much until today.

"You still have a lot of time for you to catch up. All you have to do for now is to take a complete rest until your wounds are fully healed. Okay?"

Riya looked at Kurama and smiled. "I will. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

And both of them continued their stargazing as they enjoyed each other's company beneath that peaceful night sky.

* * *

_(Listed here are some of the information about the five Legendary Weapons that has appeared in this story so far. The locations mentioned here are only my ideas (meaning: they're fictional)._

_**Dragon Sword of Flame**__– can be manipulated by someone who possesses the Garnet Heart inside of them and was kept inside the fiery volcano called the Mt. Saint Ruby (also known as the Fire Shrine located in the Demon World) before it was able to locate its master. It enables the wielder to produce and manipulate fire. The current wielder of this weapon was Hisakawa Yumi, Riya's childhood friend and one of her personal bodyguards._

_**Staff of Shimmer**__– can be manipulated by someone who possesses the Amber Heart inside of them and was kept underneath the isolated Zircon Lighthouse (also known as the Light Shrine located in the Spirit World) before it was able to locate its master. It enables the wielder to manipulate the energy derived from light and use it to attack enemies. The current wielder of this weapon was Kirisawa Ayako, Riya's classmate at Hanasakura Academy._

_**Arrow of Wind**__– can be manipulated by someone who possesses the Topaz Heart inside of them and was kept on the highest peak of an unnamed floating island called the Mt. Moonstone (also known as the Sky Shrine located in the Demon World) before it was able to locate its master. It enables the wielder to control and manipulate the forces of the weather. This weapon will make a formal appearance in later chapters, along with its wielder._

_**Scythe of the Deep Waters**__– can be manipulated by someone who possesses the Sapphire Heart inside of them and was kept inside the hidden cave near the shore of a mysterious island called the Turquoise's Lair of the Sea (also known as the Water Shrine located in the Demon World) before it was able to locate its master. It enables the wielder to produce and manipulate physical water and energy drawn from the ocean. The current wielder of this weapon was Hondou Soujiro, Hanasakura Academy's soccer team captain and Yukari's older brother._

_**Flute of Melody**__– can be manipulated by someone who possesses the Quartz Heart inside of them and was kept underneath the largest ancient musical stadium called the Tourmaline Music Colosseum (also known as the Music Shrine located in the Spirit World) before it was able to locate its master. It enables the wielder to manipulate energy drawn from all kinds of sounds, particularly melodious ones and use it to attack. The current wielder of this weapon was Hondou Yukari, Riya's underclassman (kouhai) and Hanasakaura Academy's music prodigy. She's also Soujiro's sister._

_-As for the part where Hiei and the rest were transported inadvertently, the location where he ended up will be mentioned in his own story that I was planning to post here. But I don't know when I will do that since I'm still trying to finish this and the other stories, as well._

_Don't forget to review after reading this. Constructive criticisms are accepted but never flames. I might update this story as soon as I can.)_


	11. One Chance To Last A Lifetime

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though. And that includes the plot.

**Warning: **The characters might not be in their usual selves.

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 11**

**One Chance To Last A Lifetime**

* * *

The next day after the attack, Koenma decided to have Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko transfer school since the toddler prince figured that the demon shinobi and the wielders would most likely make an appearance at Hanasakura Academy again. Koenma somehow thought that the enemies—although he wasn't sure who to treat as enemies between the wielders and the demon shinobi—were after something—or someone—from that school. Those three would be in a different class from Kurama and Riya but their classrooms were just adjacent to each other. Kurama's classroom was in Class 2-C and Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko's would be in Class 2-D.

As for Hiei, he decided to accompany the Fire Wielder Yumi to a journey in the Demon World for certain reasons. As for Riya, she knew that Yusuke still didn't know yet that she was Kurama's classmate and for two months, she managed to hide it. She later learned from Yukari that Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko transferred to Hanasakura Academy and so she thought that her school year would be even more exciting.

It took full three weeks for Riya to be able to recover but her wounds weren't completely healed that's why she has to use a crutch to move around the apartment. Kurama was the one who helped her with her home-schooling activities, from projects to homework and even notes. And one more week had passed before she returned to school.

Everything went fine after the incident and surprisingly, Ayako started befriending Riya. She knew that Ayako wasn't bluffing about that issue since she could see the sincerity in the brunette's eyes especially when Ayako asked for Riya's forgiveness. And she did…

…but that was after Riya talked to Ayako about the incident that took an unexpected turn. The day she went back to school, at the rooftop, she asked Ayako to meet her there along with Soujiro and yukari. Basically, they knew what Riya wanted to talk about. Kurama still had something to do with the Biology Club and Riya agreed to meet him after that at the school ground. She just needed a reason to distract his attention about the weapons that he and the Spirit Detective were looking for.

Riya could only hope it would work. It was for his sake, anyway.

"It's not that we intend to hide it from you, Riya-sempai," Yukari started.

"I know that. You wanted to protect me in the shadows like what Yumi had intended to do from the start… ever since she discovered she has the Garnet Heart inside of her," Riya replied. And then she looked at the three wielders in front of her. "But I'm not mad about you hiding the fact that you're the Legendary Weapon Wielders. Thank you for saving me that day. I truly appreciate it."

Soujiro managed to smile because of that. "It's our duty, mistress. But what I can't understand is the demon shinobis' reason why they wanted to have the Legendary Weapons so much."

Riya sighed and looked at the setting sun. "Even I don't know the answer to that. But whatever it is, it's something sinister. And we can't afford to lose against them. It's also our duty as wielders to protect the three realms, especially the Human World, from certain destructions even without Koenma's knowledge." Then she looked at Ayako. "But seriously, I'm quite surprised when I found out that you're also a Legendary Weapon Wielder… being the wielder of the Staff of Shimmer, at that…"

"I was surprised, as well. Even so, I guess it's for the best that I became one," Ayako said.

That statement made Riya frown. "What do you mean by that?"

But Ayako only gave a chuckle before looking at Riya. "It's better if I keep that for myself."

"Hmm… if you say so."

"You better go after Minamino-kun before he suspects something as to why you're here," Ayako said that made Riya slightly surprised. And somehow, the brunette knew the reason why. "It's okay. I've already accepted that Minamino-kun is starting to like you. Or maybe he already likes you and he's not aware of it. Just enjoy every moment you have with him."

Riya blushed upon hearing those words from Ayako. "It's not like that, Ayako-chan. It's impossible for him to like me. I'm only a friend to him."

"I would think otherwise, especially when I saw his expression after the incident wherein he rushed into the crumbling part of the building just to save you."

"I agree with her," Yukari added. "He was already showing some signs of liking you intensively and probably you're mistaking it as a friendly gesture."

Riya went quiet after that. And after a while, she turned around that made the three wielders giggle and made her blush even more.

"I don't believe you…" she mumbled before she hurriedly left the place.

That was when the three students left there began laughing because of her actions.

"I guess she was also showing those signs, Yukari-chan," Ayako concluded while laughing.

Yukari nodded. "I can't wait for what's about to happen next between those two."

* * *

Yusuke and the others headed home first to start studying for the exams after Keiko forced them, of course. Kurama just went out of the laboratory when he saw Riya coming towards him. The girl smiled at him he waved his hand to return the gesture.

"You're done?" Riya asked when she stopped in front of him.

"Yes. Where have you been, anyway? I was worried that our classmates might bully you again."

She shook her head and then she began walking along with Kurama. "I'm alright. Besides, I don't think they could do that to me anymore. Ayako somehow threatened them if they do that to me." And then he saw her giggle. It was a genuine one which means Riya was telling the truth about Ayako's sudden change of attitude towards her.

Kurama has to admit, it does seem weird. But he noticed that after the attack three weeks ago, Ayako had somewhat changed, especially when it comes to how she treated Riya. And he could see that it was a sincere gesture… which was for the best. At the very least, Riya has gained a new friend.

"Is there something wrong, Shuichi-kun? You're spacing out. Are you alright?" Riya asked that startled him so he faced her and smiled. But it appeared that the young lady wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?" He just nodded.

Riya didn't ask anymore and the two of them walked together as they went out of the school.

As they walked together like that, Kurama was thinking about some stuff running inside his mind. More particularly, what he was actually planning to do on coming Sunday since he remembered something that his mother said last night during dinner…

…thanks to the suggestion of his stepbrother that night…

_-Flashback-_

"_Really? You've been dating a girl lately?" Shiori somewhat excitedly asked to Kurama while they were discussing some stuff as they were having their dinner._

_It was just after he arrived at home and Shiori was already preparing dinner. He came to Riya's apartment before that because he handed the photocopied notes to her so that she could still catch up with her studies since she hasn't gone to school for full three weeks already, as per recommendation of the doctors who examined her. The only person who knew he went there was his stepbrother Hatanaka Suuichi since he called his house and said that he'll be coming home late because of that._

_But he never thought that his stepbrother would talk about it to his mother and stepfather. He and Suuichi agreed not to tell about what he was doing for Riya or else, issues would arise. Well, he couldn't help it. Suuichi had been asking him about Riya and how he got so fixated on the transfer student. Even though he insisted that they were just friends, his stepbrother didn't stop bugging him about it. Besides, he couldn't tell him about how he and Riya first met five years ago for some reasons. He believed that it wasn't yet the time for him to do that._

"_I'm not dating anyone, Mom. I'm just helping a friend of mine to catch up with her missed lessons since she hadn't gone to school for full three weeks because of the injury she got from the explosion," Kurama explained but he was somehow flustering for some reasons._

_His family knew about the explosion at school but they knew that the cause of it was a freak accident at the laboratory and a gas leak. Mostly, these theories haven't been proven yet and it somewhat contradicted from the witnesses' accounts since they saw that the explosion came from outside the building._

_That was why further investigations were being conducted until now, but Kurama highly doubted if they would find a logical explanation for that._

_Shiori smiled at the sight of her son flustering. Well, as they say, "Mother knows best."_

"_But this is actually the first time you've been fixated to only one girl. I'm sure that she's not just a friend to you. Right, Shuichi?" Shiori said as she faced him while smiling. Kurama's stepbrother and stepfather just chuckled when he couldn't even react._

_He really gave a second thought about his mother's statement. Riya wasn't just a friend to him… Was that really it? It was true that she had been a part of his memory because of their meeting five years ago. And when he promised to her and to himself that he would never leave her anymore…_

_Kurama sighed inwardly to ease his mind from certain thoughts rushing in. After that, he glanced at Shiori then to his stepfather Hatanaka Kazuya and lastly to Suuichi. He then realized that Shiori was looking at him and was waiting for his answer in a way._

"_So? Have you thought about it?" Shiori asked before continuing to eat._

_But before Kurama could even think of an answer, Kazuya spoke that distracted the flow of his thoughts. "The only time when you couldn't answer a simple question was when you're really thinking about it so that you wouldn't regret saying your answer once it's been said. Whether the answer is good or bad, you wanted to answer it seriously. And in your case, it's not only your mind that's doing the thinking for you but your heart, as well. You wanted to make sure that your mind and your heart would come up with the common decision or answer. That way, you'll be certain that your answer is serious and without pretenses."_

_He couldn't say a word after that. His stepfather does have a point on that. That was when he smiled and continued eating._

"_Anyway, you can answer that when you're ready. But can you invite her here one of these days? Your friend, that is…" Shiori inquired that made him frown a bit._

"_Her? You mean the girl that I was helping?"_

_She nodded. Then he went quiet again._

"_What about this Sunday?" Suuichi suddenly suggested and he glanced at him. "Mom and Dad wouldn't be working that day since it's day off. We don't have a class on that day so I think it's perfect for the whole family to meet her."_

_His eyes widened when he heard that. "Are you serious, Suuichi-kun?"_

_His stepbrother nodded and grinned. Seriously, what the heck was wrong with his family right now, cornering him like that?_

"_I agree with that suggestion," Shiori replied and then she faced Kazuya. "What do you think? Would it be a good idea?"_

_It took a short while before Kazuya spoke. "It is a good idea. I'll go with that."_

"_What?" he exclaimed. "Are you really serious?"_

_Shiori giggled at the sight of his son's reaction. "We're REALLY serious so you better bring her here on Sunday. Now I'm getting excited on meeting her."_

_All he did was to sigh exasperatedly at that. He guesses that there was no choice but to bring Riya on Sunday. All he could hope was for her to agree with that…_

_-End of Flashback-_

Kurama couldn't help but to heave a heavy sigh after remembering that. But how in the world would he be able to convince Riya to come with him on Sunday just because Suuichi suggested it?

"You're definitely not on yourself today. Are you sure you don't have any problems at all? You can tell me about it," Riya said with a smile as they walked together.

"I don't really consider it a problem, though. It's just a passing thought."

She raised an eyebrow upon hearing that. "Is that so? I don't believe you."

He only chuckled at that statement.

"Really… It may not be a problem but it's still something to think about for you to space out like that. Come on, tell me," she insisted.

All he could do was to look at her and afterwards, he sighed. "Alright." They stopped on the bridge's sidewalk before glancing at the setting sun. It was the same bridge where he and Riya have a serious conversation since she transferred. It was he who started the conversation.

"You know that I have a stepbrother, right?"" he started. She nodded as an answer. "Well… Last night, we had a discussion… about you."

That made Riya's eyes slightly widened. Obviously, what he said made her unlikely surprised.

"W-what did you discuss about me?"

"Nothing much. But blame Suuichi for it. He told my mom about me visiting you for the last three weeks after the incident at the school. And now, my mother thought that I was dating you." He laughed after saying that. "Quite shocking, I know."

"More like exaggerating, in some sense," she commented and then she scratched the back of her head. "So how did it go?"

"I explained them that you're a friend I'm willing to help with your studies that you have missed during your three-week absence. Apparently, they couldn't easily believe and Suuichi kept on bugging me about it. They kept on saying that this is the first time I had my attention fixated on one girl," he continued without looking at her. For some reasons, he couldn't do that.

Moments of silence fell between them as they looked at the red orange sun setting on the far horizon.

"So that fact made them excited to see me, is that it?" she stated that made him surprise and looked at her. His heart started pounding at the sight of her peaceful and serene face looking at the horizon. Her gentle smile seemed to be enough to stir his emotions.

He smiled and glanced at the sun once again. "Yeah. Apparently, it looks that way. Would it be okay of I ask you to come to our house this Sunday?"

"This Sunday? Boy, that was fast," she responded.

He just scratched the back of his head as he seemed flustered for a bit. "I told you, blame Suuichi for it. He was the one who suggested it." He looked at her seriously. "Will it be okay? I'm sure my mother would to meet you. And I guess, same goes to my stepbrother and my stepfather."

He saw her went quiet after that. It was as if she was thinking about it carefully since she put her hand to her chin and stood in what appeared to be in deep thoughts. Finally, she sighed and smiled when she looked at him. That made him holds his breath for some seconds before he heard her speak.

"Do I have to wear something formal when I'm meeting your family?" she said, more like her way of saying 'yes'. He shook his head before smiling.

"Not necessarily. Just wear something comfortable for you."

"Alright. That made me feel relieved from the fashion-stress I'm having when it comes to occasions." Then she burst out a soft laugh that was later followed by his laughter. He found it quite refreshing.

That afternoon continued with them talking about the plan for Sunday with regards to her meeting his family. No doubt, it was surprising but admit it or not, he liked the progress. Probably at that point, he would be able to her better.

Unbeknownst to him, a certain person would lead him to know her even more. And it would be someone he knew pretty well.


	12. Surprising Connection And Unsaid Worries

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 12**

**Surprising Connection And Unsaid Worries**

* * *

Riya already reached her apartment and Kurama accompanied her all the way even though she told him to go home already. And since he was really insistent, she just complied and let him do what he wanted. Besides, there was nothing wrong with that.

She knew that he actually cared for her welfare and safety and she really appreciate that.

When she reached the door of her apartment, she turned slightly and faced Kurama. She gave a small bow.

"Thank you for accompanying me all the way here, although you really don't have to do something that much," she said.

"You really don't have to worry about anything. Besides, I wanted to make sure you're safe from harm. I don't want anything bad happen to you again, especially when I'm not around." _I can't afford to lose you in any way because of this mission,_ he added in his thoughts with a serious look on his face.

That made her look at him with a serious face, thinking and letting her mind absorb what he just said. After a while, she smiled.

"Thank you… for worrying about me. But I'll be okay, I promise," she answered.

Though she saw him sigh because of relief, she knew very well that it wasn't enough for her to convince him with just that. But she would give him time until he could finally be convinced that nothing bad will happen to her at all.

_Really? Can you really convince him like that when you already know that your mission could definitely kill you anytime when you're not prepared?_ A part of her mind said that startled her a bit. That was right. He didn't know who she really was and the real reason why she transferred there. The fact that she knew something about the Legendary Weapons' existence might anger him when he found out.

She wasn't yet prepared for that. She still has to give herself some time to prepare in facing his wrath when the inevitable happened.

Kurama could only look at Riya's face as he kept on staring at her. Now he was beginning to get worried about her since her face has etches of sadness, guilt and… fear. Was it starting again?

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked her with concern. He saw her got startled at looked at him. Afterwards, she smiled. It wasn't a forced smile but… there was still something missing about it. Right now, he couldn't tell what.

"Thanks again," she said and then she proceeded to her apartment. But before she managed to open the door, they heard someone came out. It was familiar to the both of them since it was someone they knew. Her hand seemed frozen as she held on to the doorknob and that person was approaching near the two of them.

"Hey, Kurama!" Yusuke greeted the red head and she remained to her position without facing any of them.

_Great! I can't believe I would be crossing paths with Yusuke right now, of all times!_ All she did was to heavily sigh.

"Good evening, Yusuke!" Kurama greeted as Yusuke approached. "It seemed to me you're coming home late again. Did something happen?"

"Nothing much. I just stayed at Keiko's house for a while and had some chit chat. By the way, what are you doing here at this hour? You wanted something from me?"

Kurama shook his head and smiled. "I escorted my friend here just to assure her safety. You see, she was the one who was on that building when the attack happened. I just wanted to make sure she wouldn't run in any trouble or danger."

"I see," Yusuke said and then glanced at the said person. "Is that her?"

The red head nodded and approached Riya. Kurama then noticed that she hadn't moved from her spot. It made him worry again. But before he could say anything else, he saw her sighed audibly and turned around to face him and Yusuke. He saw Yusuke's reaction when he saw her.

Yusuke was wide-eyed, appeared to be shocked at what he had seen. He also saw Riya's reaction when she saw Yusuke. She was… smiling.

_Do these two know each other?_ Kurama couldn't help asking in his thoughts.

"R-Riya…" Yusuke uttered.

"Hi, Yusuke! Long time, no see," Riya said with a smile etched on her face.

Yusuke approached her. "Since when did you arrive from Hokkaido?"

"Two months ago," she simply said. "Was it a big deal?"

"Of course it's a big deal, you witch!" Yusuke shouted that surprised Kurama but not her. "You're living here for two months now and you haven't even told me anything about it?" But before Yusuke could say anything else, he never anticipated the girl's bag hit his head hard.

"You're too loud, Yusuke. Have some considerations to the other tenants, will you?" she said and then she faced Kurama. "Sorry about that."

He smiled at the sight. "It seems to me you two know each other," he commented.

"Not just plainly know each other. Yusuke and I are actually related. We're cousins, to be exact," she revealed that surprised Kurama. "Sorry that I haven't told you anything about it. It's just that I didn't know you're acquainted to my cousin here."

"Not just simply acquainted. He's my friend, one of my best buddies," Yusuke replied as he held his head that was hit by her bag. "But seriously, why are you here? I won't be surprised if Mom actually knew you're here and she didn't tell me."

She sighed as an answer. "I had my reasons for that and I'm sorry for not telling you. But I hope you respect those reasons I have." After that she opened the door using her key and faced them before she entered. "Why don't we have some conversations inside and catch up with a two month-long secrecy of living here just beside your apartment? You're not catching up with some exams, are you?"

"Not really. But the exam is only a month away. Still if you want us to catch up then it's okay. Besides, Kurama here doesn't know our relationship and probably he wanted to know more," Yusuke said.

The name he mentioned made her frown a bit. "Kurama? Who's Kurama?" And then he faced the red head. "Is that your other name, Shuichi-kun?"

"Um… It's just my nickname but Yusuke was the one calling me by that name… on some occasions," he said as he was flustering a bit.

_You really know how to keep secrets, aren't you, Shuichi-kun? So Kurama is your real name, huh? _She concluded in her thoughts. "Well, I'm not surprised with that since Yusuke usually call random names to some of his buddies back in Hokkaido."

"Yeah, right," Yusuke muttered. "But are you sure you're still up for a chit-chat?"

She nodded and then she glanced at Shuichi… or maybe she should call him Kurama now since she figured that it was his real name. But as of now, it was how she should address him—at least in her thoughts. She could only wish that her tongue wouldn't slip and let her say it suddenly.

"Yeah, I'm still up for it." She then faced Kurama. "You can join us if you want. You could probably make a call to your mom that you'll be coming home late. I'm sure they'll figure out immediately where you are."

Kurama smiled at that and then the three of them entered the apartment.

* * *

**_Three days later, Sunday…_**

Kurama and Riya agreed to meet at the bridge before they would head to the Minamino household. Riya wasn't surprised to see Kurama already waiting there for her even though she was thirty minutes earlier than their meeting time.

She decided to bring something for the family as a gift that day. Since she was quite used to baking and making sweets, she baked a chiffon cake the day before just to be sure. Though she wasn't sure if they would like it, which was why she wasn't keeping her hopes high with regards to that.

"You're early, Shuichi-kun," she greeted to the red head when she stopped near him. "Do you have other places you have to go to before we head to your house?"

"Actually, yes," Kurama answered but before he could say anything else, he noticed the clothes she was wearing. "Your dress looks good on you, by the way."

She couldn't help but to blush at that sudden comment. That was why she looked at herself for a bit. "T-thank you. I'm glad you like it." She was actually wearing a light blue dress with a blue long-sleeved coat and a white ankle-high boots. Her hair was done in a high ponytail using a white ribbon.

But before they left, he noticed the box she was carrying. "What's that you're carrying in that box? Is it a gift?"

"Hmm… Sort of. I baked a chiffon cake yesterday to be given to your family as a gift, though I'm not sure if they would like it."

"What's the flavor?"

Though that question somehow made her frown, she still answered it. "Orange. It's one of my favorite chiffon cakes so I thought I should share it."

Then she heard him chuckle. "I guess we don't have to go to the cake shop anymore."

"Huh?"

"I was about to go to the cake shop since my mother asked me to buy an orange chiffon cake as a dessert for our lunch. But since you brought one already, I guess there's no need for me to buy one," he answered.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I still have my doubts on bringing this one since I'm not that confident about my baking skills. But since I created this with love and passion, I guess it could still pass." She laughed before facing him. "Let's go."

They proceeded to go to Kurama's house for her to meet his family, not knowing that there were people who were actually anticipating for the progress of that meeting.

* * *

"Yusuke, are you sure we have to follow those two? Can't we just leave them on their date?" Botan whispered behind him as they watched Riya and Kurama walked together.

"I can't just leave them on their date, Botan. This is Riya we're talking about, for goodness' sake! That's my cousin!" he hissed as he watched the two. "But I have to admit it; Kurama somehow did a good job for Riya."

Kuwabara frowned at that statement. "What's that supposed to mean, Urameshi?"

Yusuke's face turned serious and somewhat solemn. "If what Aunt Ritsuko told me was the truth, Riya hadn't smiled like that after Hiroto-niisan was murdered two years ago. And for some reason, after she transferred here, Kurama managed to slowly break the barrier she used to surround herself from all the pain as a part of her coping mechanism. I don't know what happened but I'm glad Kurama made her smile like that."

Keiko only looked at him and then glanced at Riya and Kurama who were having a seemingly happy conversation as they walked together.

"But I guess it's for the best if those two really end up together. Don't you think so, Yusuke?" she said after moments of silence.

"Why is that?"

"If Kurama could actually make her smile like that, then it's definitely for the best if they ended up together. For now, only he could bring out the best of your cousin. After all, she had been isolating everything about herself from the rest of the world after that tragedy. If being with Kurama could make her happy, then so be it. Let them be together," Keiko responded with a smile yet in a serious tone.

They didn't say anything regarding that but Botan couldn't help but to feel worried in some way.

_I could only hope their mission wouldn't get in their way, especially if Kurama finds out that Riya-chan might have some sort of connection to the Legendary Weapons. It might hurt him when something like that happens. But what should I do? It's obvious that those two are really happy being together. I hope this doesn't turn into something worse,_ Botan thought worriedly as she continued to look at the happy Kurama and Riya.

* * *

**I'm really, really, really sorry for the extremely late update. I've been busy doing other stuff that I didn't have any time facing the computer and encoding my stories. Sorry for the short chapter, too. I need to revise some of the later chapters so something like this came up. Anyway, even though I only have ****MikaUchiha666****, ****KuramaMustangElric****, ****BookwormSars****, and ****Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967**** as reviewers (so far), I'm still thankful. They make me inspired to write this and finish this. Thank you for reviewing. I hope there will be others who will review about this story.**

**Please review! I really appreciate reading them and they make me inspired to write more and more. He he ^_^**


	13. A Promise Beneath The Moonlight

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 13**

** A Promise Beneath The Moonlight**

* * *

It was exactly 11:30 in the morning when Riya and Kurama reached the Minamino household—just in time for lunch. Along the way, the two enjoyed a pretty good conversation that made them unable to notice some familiar people.

Ayako noticed them when they passed by the cake shop she was managing that made the said maiden smile. Soujiro and Yukari saw them, as well, as the siblings watched outside the restaurant that they were in at that moment. As for Yumi, she just went out of the bookstore when she noticed Riya and Kurama. It didn't give her much of a surprise, though. In fact, she satisfyingly smiled at the sight.

Riya heaved a heavy sigh for her to calm her erratically beating heart the moment she stepped on the gate of the house. She couldn't actually tell why her heart was beating that fast. But she somehow knew that it wasn't a bad sign or anything negative. She might be nervous for some other reasons.

"Are you alright? Your hand is cold," Kurama said that startled her a bit and made her face him. She answered him with a smile that eased her tension for a bit. But when she looked at her left hand, she couldn't help but to blush.

She saw him blush, too. But this time, he didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he held it tighter. The sensation that traveled through her veins coming from that touch made both hearts pound but at the same time, it also made her calm for some reason. And she loved it.

"I'll hold your hand so that you wouldn't feel nervous, okay?" he suggested and then he smiled.

That made her giggle and looked at his eyes. "But don't you think your family would then think that I'm already your girlfriend when you do that?"

"You think they would object if it would be like that?" he countered and looked at her eyes, as well.

She looked at him surprised but she never showed that to her face. _What in the world are you thinking, Kurama?_ Then she sighed. "That depends on what would they think about me," she said, not realizing what she said after it had slipped from her mouth. She kicked herself mentally after that. _Sheesh! Why in the world did I say that? It's like I'm saying something that I accepted to be his girlfriend… or maybe I was thinking far advanced._ "I… I mean, they still need to know the girl who wanted to be your girlfriend. And I guess a lot of girls in our school would be willing to go through that kind of ordeal just to prove themselves to be worthy of you. Right?"

Kurama just laughed at that. But his mouth said something that wanted to contradict her statement. _I know they would like you, Riya… since you're the only girl I wanted to be my girlfriend. But I guess it won't happen for now. I still wanted to know you more—without secrets and pretenses._

"Let's go. Your family's waiting inside. I bet they're already excited," Riya said with a smile.

Kurama smiled, as well and they proceeded inside. It was Kurama who pushed the doorbell.

"Mom, we're here," he said through the intercom.

They got no response but they waited. And after a few seconds, they heard footsteps growing closer to the door. Running footsteps, to be exact.

"I bet that's Suuichi-kun," Kurama said before glancing at her. She smiled as a response. After that, the door opened and a panting teenage boy appeared.

"Sorry about that. We're busy preparing the food for lunch," the brown-haired boy said in between his pantings. Then he looked at Kurama and Riya. But after a few seconds, Suuichi's stare got fixed to Riya. "Wow, she's really pretty. No wonder you got fixated on her, Shuichi-san."

That statement surprised both Kurama and Riya and also made them blushed.

"Now I know why you kept on saying that I have to blame your stepbrother for it," she whispered that made the red head smile. Then she faced Suuichi. "Nice to meet you, Hatanaka-kun."

The boy smiled and slightly bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, as well. It's alright if you wanted to call me Suuichi. But… I guess that could create some confusion since my big brother here happened to have the same given name as I am."

"Hmm… You're right about that since I'm also calling Shuichi-kun by his given name," she said and then she went quiet, as if her mind were in deep thoughts after a few seconds, she faced Suuichi and smiled. "Would it be okay if I call you Sui-kun instead of Suuichi-kun? It's a derivation of your name so I guess it's better if I call you that way to avoid confusions."

Suuichi smiled and nodded. "I don't mind. And besides, I like it. I guess you better come in now. Mom and Dad are waiting in the living room."

And that made them enter the house. Like what Suuichi said, Shiori and Kazuya were in the living room. The couple greeted Kurama and Riya with a smile.

"My, my! I never thought you have such a beautiful friend here, Shuichi," Shiori said that made Riya smile before facing the girl. "Welcome to our home. I'm sorry for my son's sudden invitation but it actually made us excited to meet you. This is the first time I've learned that my son Shuichi has his attention fixated on one girl."

Kurama blushed after Shiori said that. "Mom, please… Not in front of the guest."

But Shiori and Kazuya only chuckled at that while Riya glanced at him. Kurama then approached her and faced his family.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet my friend Riya. She's also my classmate and she just transferred here two months ago from Hokkaido," he stated before facing Riya.

Riya faced the couple who, in turn, was looking intently at her. And that made her curious. "Is there something wrong?"

Shiori shook his head gently and smiled. "No, there's nothing wrong. It's just that… you're kind of looked like someone I know from my high school days. By any chance, do you know someone by the name of Miyuzaki Ritsuko? That's her name by marriage."

"Yes…" she answered in a soft tone since she was surprised when she heard the name. "In fact, she's my mother."

"Really?" Shiori exclaimed. Riya nodded. "Now I wouldn't wonder. You almost looked like her younger version."

"But she inherited her father's eyes," Kazuya commented that surprised her again. "You're probably wondering how I knew that. You see, your father happened to be my best bud when I was in middle school and we became business partners."

And after a few seconds of absorbing the thought, Riya burst out a chuckle. "Well, that was a surprising revelation. Mama and Papa usually talks about their school friends whenever they had a chance but I never realized that those people they were talking about would actually get married." She then faced the couple. "In any case, my name's Miyuzaki Riya. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Shiori replied. "We better proceed to the dining room. It's already lunch time and I bet you're hungry."

Shiori, Kazuya and Suuichi went ahead while Kurama and Riya stayed there for a minute or so.

"I guess you're surprised to know about that, Shuichi-kun. I can tell that," Riya said as she faced Kurama.

The red head smiled and nodded. "You can really read me now, huh?"

"Not exactly. But I have to admit, it was surprising indeed. To think my parents would have a connection to your parents."

"But I guess it turned out good. Now you don't have to worry about not being liked by my family." And then he laughed.

It was later followed by her own laughter before they proceeded to the dining room where Shiori, Kazuya and Suuichi were waiting for them.

* * *

Riya had a great time having lunch with Kurama's family. She thought at first that she would be out of place but then she learned that she was wrong. Shiori was really nice. Kazuya and Suuichi were definitely fun to talk with and she really appreciated the fact that she was actually accepted by the family.

It was about time for the dessert when her phone rang. _That's weird. I wasn't expecting someone to call me at this hour._ She took the phone from her jacket pocket and then stood up before facing Shiori. "I'm sorry. Would it be okay if I answer this for a while?"

The woman nodded and then Riya proceeded to the living room. She pressed the Call button and placed the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"It seems to me my daughter is having a good time with Shiori and her family," a familiar voice of a woman greeted over the phone that surprised and yet made her happy at the same time.

"Mama!" she exclaimed. That caught the attention of the people in the dining room. "How did you know I'm with Shiori-san?"

"I've been following you since this morning, silly," her mother answered, followed by a short laugh. "I was planning to visit you and Shiori. Look outside. I'm just in front of the house."

She went directly to the front door and opened it. She smiled when she saw the figure of a woman familiar to her. It was indeed her mother, Miyuzaki Ritsuko. The said woman waved at her while the phone was still placed on her ear and so did Riya. And then she saw Ritsuko ended the phone call and placed the phone in her pocket. She did the same thing and immediately, she approached her mother who was walking towards the house.

"Sheesh! You should've told me you're coming here, Mama. I could've picked you up at the airport," Riya whined as her mouth pouted but Ritsuko only laughed at her daughter's expression.

"I'll only be here for a day or two then I'll go back. It's just that I have some business with your father's friend and it happened to be Shiori's husband," Ritsuko said seriously.

Riya's face also turned serious as she looked at her mother. "I see." And immediately, she smiled and faced Ritsuko. "Anyway, you're just in time for dinner."

"She's right, Ritsuko."

Ritsuko and Riya turned around to see who spoke and both of them smiled when they saw Shiori and Kurama.

"Long time no see, Shiori," Ritsuko said and approached the said woman. "I hope my daughter here is not causing you any trouble at all."

"I was not! Sheesh! You're being mean again, Mama," Riya complained. But then after a while, she smiled. " But I'm glad you're here, Mama."

For a while, Ritsuko was somehow surprised with what Riya said—one thing that Shiori noticed. "Is there something wrong, Ritsuko?"

It startled the said woman and shook her head. "Nothing. It's just that… this is the first time in two years that I've seen my daughter smile like that. All those times, she's been sad after my son was murdered. She never let herself show a smile. But now…" She decided not to continue.

When Riya realized what her mother was actually saying, she sighed audibly and faced Kurama before she spoke as she pointed at the red head.

"Then you have to blame Shuichi-kun for that." Then she laughed a bit when she saw Kurama's surprised expression. "If I hadn't found him, I guess I would still be the sad and lonely Riya you've known for two years."

"I didn't do anything," Kurama said. _Did I?_ "In any case, we should continue this conversation inside while eating the cake that Riya made."

Shiori frowned when she heard that. " I thought you bought that cake."

"Well, he was supposed to buy one but he never thought that I would actually make one yesterday. The cake I made was supposed to be my gift to your family as a thanks for inviting me here and giving me a chance to meet all of you," Riya explained before facing Kurama. The red head, in turn, scratched the back of his head because of that and smiled.

But before Shiori could say anything else, Suuichi appeared behind Kurama. "Mom, Shuichi-san, it's delicious! The chiffon cake is way too delicious!"

"No fair, Sui-kun. You've eaten the cake already before we could come in," she whined but she did it with a smile.

"Sorry. The scent of the orange is tempting that I have to taste it. And I heard that you're the one who made it, Riya-san. It's really delicious," Suuichi said.

Riya laughed at that. Kurama smiled when he noticed that.

* * *

It was already 5:30 in the afternoon when Riya decided to call it a day and Kurama volunteered to accompany her back to her apartment. And as what Ritsuko said, she stayed in order to talk to Kazuya with regards to her father, Katsuo Miyuzaki. But even still, she respected the privacy and decided to leave.

"Then I'll take my leave here, Shiori-san. Thank you for inviting me here. I had a lot of fun." And then she bowed.

Shiori smiled. "You're welcome, Riya-chan. But please don't make this your last visit here. You can come here and visit us anytime you want."

She smiled and then faced Kurama. "I guess I have reasons to do so. Thank you. I will definitely come here again."

"Riya-san," Suuichi called out. "The next time you visit here, can you bring us your homemade cake again? I really wanted to try it out again."

"I will, Sui-kun. Maybe I'll bring chocolate fondant the next time," she responded.

"Really? Thank you. I'll be waiting for it."

She and Kurama laughed at Suuichi's answer. And then she faced her mother. "Are you sure you're not coming with us?"

"Sorry, Riya. I can't. Haruna will be coming here at seven for us to have a business meeting with Kazuya. I have to be here when she arrives," Ritsuko said in an apologetic tone.

"Alright. If you really insist. Then we'll be going now." And then she turned around.

Kurama faced his family and bowed. "We'll be going now."

But before the two could reach the front door, Ritsuko called them.

"What is it, Mama? Something wrong?" Riya asked innocently. She saw her mother shook her head and smiled.

"No, there's nothing wrong. I just wanted to say that there will be a fireworks display at the mall downtown. Maybe you should go and watch it. It will be tonight at 6:30." And then Ritsuko faced Shiori and Kazuya. "Would it be okay if you could allow the two of them to watch it?"

The couple just answered with a smile before Kazuya spoke. "I think it's a good idea. It's better if you should enjoy each other's company more often."

Riya pondered on it for some seconds before she faced Kurama. "What do you think?"

"I wouldn't mind. And I think Yusuke and the others will come and watch it, as well,' he answered with a smile.

"Alright, then," she said before facing Ritsuko. "Thanks for reminding us, Mama."

"Be careful on your way," Ritsuko reminded to the two.

They were already outside the house when they heard Suuichi's voice soon followed by the other's laughter.

"Good luck on your date, Shuichi-san!" Suuichi shouted. "Be sure there's already a progress between the two of you when you get back here!"

Riya laughed softly upon hearing that while Kurama blushed and now, he couldn't stare directly at her.

_Seriously, what was Suuichi-kun thinking when he said that? Oh wait! It wasn't said. It was shouted,_ he complained in his thoughts and then he glanced at the night sky.

He smiled when he saw the moon in its full shape. It was bright and calming in some way. After that, he stopped walking that made Riya faced him.

"Is there something wrong, Shuichi-kun?"

He shook his head and looked at her intently. After a short while, he spoke. "Will it be okay… if we head somewhere for a while instead of going downtown? The view of the fireworks would be better there. If you want, that is. It's okay if you don't want that. It's just a suggestion…"

She just looked at him after he said that. And then finally, she showed a faint smile before answering.

"I'll go with that. So where would it be?"

* * *

It would have been a modernized city but there were still places in that city where nature could be said as a sanctuary of many people out there. And in that case, it was definitely a sanctuary for Riya and Kurama. With Kurama holding Riya's hand along the way, they proceeded to the cliff side park near the city.

At that particular time, only a few people were there and it was for the best espacially since they really needed some privacy. They couldn't actually get that when they were at school. A lot of people at school, particularly girls, didn't want to see her with Kurama. But they couldn't help it. There were really trying hard to make up for the five years that they were apart. They needed at lot of patching up to do.

"I'm sorry for my selfish request of bringing you here," Kurama apologized without looking at Riya. His head was actually lowered that was why his bangs covered his eyes, unabling her to look at them to figure out what he was thinking. "I just couldn't figure out a way on how could I talk to you alone. Each time I tried, there's nothing coming out of my mouth. It's like saying that it's not yet the time for me to tell you everything I wanted to tell you."

She gasped silently at his words. _What are you saying, Kurama? This is not you. It's impossible for me to believe that you couldn't figure out a way. Or is it?_

"So you think that this is the time already?" she said in a statement rather than a question.

It took a while before Kurama answered. "Honestly… I'm not sure. But I want to at least try." _That's right. I'll try until I could be able to tell you what I want to say,_ he added in his thoughts. Then he faced her seriously.

In turn, Riya looked at his eyes intently. For some seconds, all they did was to stare at each other. But that was more than enough for their emotions to be stirred and made their hearts pound in an accelerated rate. At that moment, everything around them seemed to have stopped moving. All they could hear was their own heart beating fast and their breathings as they continued to look at each other.

After a whie, Riya smiled that somehow snapped the magical moment between them.

"Whether you tell me or not, it's alright. I can wait until the day you tell me what you wanted to say to me. And… thank you for bringing me to thjis place. It's really beautiful," she said sincerely before looking up and faced the full moon.

He, too, looked up and faced the moon that he was looking at a while back. Both of them had smiles etched on their faces as they kept on looking at it. It would appear that they could somehow find peace when they looked at it.

But unknown to each of them, their hearts spoke of words—a wish that they kept in it since the two of them reunited.

_This moment only comes rarely between us, even though we have a lot of chances in our hands. How I wish this sort of closeness between us… Please make it last forever… I couldn't imagine my day to be complete without him in it. It's as if he had become a part of everything I do,_ Riya said in her thoughts… which was most likely stored immediately in her heart in order for her to remember it eventually when something happens, just in case.

_I've finally found her and I really want to make it up to her. Those past five years isn't going to come back, I know. But deep inside, I wish… I wish moments like this would last forever. I want to stay with her and eventually entrust my future to her. I wish I could do that. I wanted to… I just don't know how to do it. I want her to become a permanent part of my life,_ Kurama uttered in his thoughts, like the wish that he had kept in his heart ever since he found out who Riya was to his past.

"It's really beautiful… looking at the moon like this," Kurama said that broke the silence between them.

"It would be better if we're doing this every night, no matter how far apart we are," Riya said and then she laughed. "But that would only happen if we vowed to become close no matter what happens. It's a closeness bound by trust and friendship." And then she looked at him. "But could you promise me that?"

Kurama frowned. "Promise what?"

"That we'll stay close no matter what happens. We'll always be together even if you found yourself a suitable bride or I find myself a loving groom. It's like we'll always be friends or probably more than that…" she responded while saying the last sentence almost a whisper.

The red head looked at her intently for some seconds before he smiled. "No matter what happens, we'll always be together. I promise, from the bottom of my heart."

Though she was surprised by his answer, she still managed to smile. "Thank you. I hope you wouldn't think I'm forcing you. If you wanted to break that promise, just tell me so that it wouldn't be hard for you."

"I have no intention of breaking it. But… can you promise me the same thing?" he asked seriously.

She sighed before she answered. "Of course. I promise that, as well. We'll always be together, no matter what. I promise, from the bottom of my heart."

Both of them shared a smile that turned to laughter. A few seconds later, fireworks began exploding to the sky decorating it like flowers spread in the night.

_I could only hope the strength to fulfill that promise won't simply vanish like the fireworks,_ Riya thought as she watched the fireworks display along with Kurama.

The red head later came near Riya and placed his right hand over her right shoulder, thus embracing her in the process. Though the girl was indeed surprised, she didn't show it. She didn't say anything. Instead, she snuggled close to him and placed her head on his chest. Kurama smiled inwardly at that gesture.

_I hope I could protect you from all the pains you might feel, Riya. I'll do that as long as you're here to give me strength to protect everything and everyone I care about in this world. That way, I could fulfill my promise to you, no matter what happens…_ Kurama thought as he glanced at Riya for some seconds before he began the fireworks.

* * *

**Watching fireworks display with the one you love is one of the most romantic scenes… well, at least for me. Hehe! I just love this chapter because of that.**

**Please review after reading. I would definitely appreciate that. ^_^**


	14. Hearts' Findings

**Wow, never expected to get this much review. Thanks a lot. Now with regards to the battle part of this story, it will happen in the next chapters since they'll be dealing with one formidable enemy, though it still has to do something with Riya and Kurama. Of course, that includes Kurama's trials. I'll try updating in a regular basis as long as my works (most of which has something to do with home) don't bother me that much. I also need to update my other stories so I hope it doesn't matter that much. But I hope I could bring you a good story here. I'm actually a bit (or maybe not just a bit) bothered on how the story actually turned out and how it would appear to the readers. Anyway, back to the topic. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing (and editing) this. Don't forget to review, as well. I really appreciate them. **

**Let's get on with the story, shall we?**

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 14**

**Hearts' Findings**

* * *

_**Two weeks later, Hanasakura Academy…**_

"Alright, everyone! It's time to pay attention since we'll be talking about our class activity for the Rose Festival," Miss Ryuuzaki announced to the class that one morning after their winter break and in a way, it caught the students' attention.

"Rose festival? What's that?" Riya asked in a soft tone to Kurama who was in front of her.

Though he didn't look at her, she knew he heard her. " It's a traditional occasion here at Hanasakura Academy that usually deals with songs and theatrical plays. More like a Literary Fest but with only one them and that's love."

"So it's like the school's very own way of celebrating Valentine's Day," she commented.

"Sort of," he answered.

And after that, they all focused to the teacher's discussion regarding the activity.

"The reason I asked my class to do a Literary project was for the faculty members to choose the best projects for the other classes who will be involved in doing theatrical plays," the teacher explained before she showed a soft bound book to the students. It was colored red since Miss Ryuuzaki required that to them, as well.

Ayako raised her hand that made the teacher looked at her. "Yes, Kirisawa-san? Is there any problem?"

"No, it's not like that," the brown-haired girl answered. "I just wanted to ask if that soft bound book you're currently holding if the best project among the class."

Miss Ryuuzaki smiled. "In many teachers' perception, it is. And the pair who wrote this play will be getting the highest score. Not just from me but from the other teachers, as well."

All of the class were in awe when they heard that. Riya and Kurama just smiled as a response to that.

Their Literary project was for each pair to make a script that has only one major theme: love. Any kind of love. It could be romantic, platonic or family. Most of the pairs did a story with a romantic type of love as its theme.

"Then whose project are you holding right now, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" one student asked.

"Is that the project that our class will be performing, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" another student followed.

"Before I announce whose project is this, I will only tell a few things you need to remember," the teacher said with a smile before she looked at the students seriously. "First, the project that I'm holding right now will be the one that this class will perform two and a half months from now so you have to cooperate. Second, your grades will depend on how well you perform your roles, besides the fact that half of it will be coming from your written project and the other half will be from your performance. So if you don't want to fail, you better get serious. And last but definitely not the least—" she paused. "—the pair who did this project that the class will be performing would have to take on the lead roles of the play. No if's and no but's so that's the final decision. As for the other roles, we'll do it by drawing papers from the box with specific characters from the play. Understood?"

"Yes, Ryuuzaki-sensei," the class replied almost all at the same time.

And then the moment of truth began that made the students' heart pound. While the others were calm as they simply wait for the announcement.

Miss Ryuuzaki sighed before she faced the class. "The winning piece that will be performed by the class for the Rose Festival is—" she paused and then flipped the cover of the soft bound book which made the class held their breaths as they anticipate for the announcement of the winning piece. "—Minamino Shuichi-kun and Miyuzaki Riya-chan's piece entitled _Beneath The Sakura Tree_. So it means that Minamino-kun will take the role of Hoshino Kenji and Miyuzaki-chan will be Nagishima Kimiko," she announced and then faced the said pair with a smile.

At first, the thought didn't immediately register to Kurama and Riya's minds. But after a few seconds…

"What?!" both of them exclaimed before they exchange glances, having surprised expression on their faces.

Ayako only smiled at the sight of Kurama and Riya's surprised expressions, especially their reactions regarding the announcement.

_As I thought,_ she thought triumphantly. _Just like my prediction last night. This will be a good progress._

And at that moment, she thought that the play would definitely turn out as anyone would expect. Besides, the pair who'd be performing the lead roles would be Riya and Kurama. For sure, a lot of people would anticipate on watching that.

* * *

_**Hanasakura Academy's rooftop…**_

Kurama decided to head to the rooftop when lunch break started and as soon as he got a copy of the script that they would be using for the play. But he has been reading it for how many minutes now and yet, he couldn't let his mind concentrate on it. His mind was still in mild shock, or so he wanted to say.

_I can't believe this. This is a sudden turn of event for the two of us, I must say. And to think Riya and I would be taking on the lead roles for the play…_ he thought as he looked at the sky.

That was when he heard the door creaked open and made him turn around to see who did that, only to be surprised to see Riya with a serious look on her face.

"Hey," she said. "I knew I'd find you here."

"You're looking for me?" he asked as she was coming towards him.

"Sort of. I just need someone to talk to. I had difficulty patching up my thoughts so I guess that talking to someone would help me do so," she answered softly before she leaned her back on the fence. "It's okay if you're not going to say anything. It's better if you could at least listen to what I'm going to say."

He looked at her face for some seconds and somehow, he could see that she was somewhat troubled. And so he leaned his back on the fence and looked at the sky.

"I've been thinking a lot of things these past few days, especially those that had happened after we made that promise. A lot of things had changed for the best. And somehow… I owe them all to you," she told him that definitely caught his attention. But still, he chose to remain silent and let her continue. "Weird, I know. You kept on saying that you didn't do anything for me to change from a loner to a happy person. But I'll keep on saying that you did a lot for me to be who I am right now. Mama, my sister-in-law Haruna-neesan and Yusuke were somehow surprised to see me this way. To tell you the truth, I've always wished for our paths to cross once again since the day you gave me that Snow Rose. I promised that I'll treasure that rose until the day I could see you again so that I could give it back to you. But that rose was destroyed shortly before I realized that it was you all along."

Kurama then decided to speak. "Why are you saying this to me?"

"Honestly… I wasn't sure about that myself. Probably because I wanted you to know what's in my mind whenever you're near. Or maybe to sum it all up, I'm glad… that you became a part of my life. I'm glad that I was able to meet someone like you," she said as she faced him with a smile. _Even though I know that one of these days, I wouldn't be able to hold on to my life much longer…_ she added in her thoughts that made her serious again. "I don't know what will happen in the future for the two of us. But at least, I wanted you to know what I want to say. And I really wanted to thank you for everything that you did for me."

After a short while of silence between them, Kurama couldn't help but to smile and then he faced her. "You're not the only one who's glad."

"What?"

"I don't know what you will think about this but… I'm also glad that I was able to meet you. And I'm glad that I helped you become someone that many people will like. I don't really know what I did for you to be like that. But still, thank you… for trusting me," he said to her sincerely as looked intently in her eyes.

A lot of things had happened to them but because of that, they were able to meet each other again. And it was one thing that Kurama really felt glad about, even though he only knew a few things about Riya.

As for Riya, she wanted to say almost everything that was in her heart as of the moment. But some things were actually preventing her from saying it. She didn't want to get hurt again but she was bound to be when the truth would be revealed.

"I'll always trust you, Shuichi-kun," she responded to what he said. "Forever, if you want to."

Kurama was left speechless when he heard that. And after a few seconds, her smile startled him.

"Come on! We still need to practice for the play. I don't want to mess up with my first theatrical performance, you know," she said and she turned around to leave that place.

But he couldn't do the same thing. Riya's words were still ringing in his mind even after she left.

_I'll always trust you, Shuichi-kun. Forever, if you want to…_

Could she really trust him like that, even though he still has secrets that he hasn't revealed to her yet? What would happen when she found out the truth about him and his Yoko form?

He couldn't afford to be known in his demon form by Riya. But with the demon shinobi and the Legendary Weapon Wielders on the move, could he still hide the truth from her? He has to know the answer soon before Riya got completely caught up with the danger. And he didn't want that to happen.

_Probably someday… I'll let her know the truth about me and my demon alter-ego…_

* * *

"It seems to me you're having a hard time deciding whether you would tell him the truth or not."

Riya was startled when she heard that voice as soon as she left the rooftop and reached the bottom of the stairs. When she raised her head, she saw a serious-looking Ayako standing just a few feet away from her.

She showed a faint smile. "You can tell that, huh?"

"It shows in your eyes," Ayako plainly answered. "Your eyes weren't like this before… Before you discovered the truth about the boy who gave you that rose. And you're right. Minamino-kun—or should I say Kurama—has something to do with it."

"Every time I'm near him, it forces me to forget the real reason why I left Hokkaido after the weapons chose their masters. I couldn't think clearly and focus my mind to my true mission," she admitted without looking at Ayako. "I don't want to put him up through this. How could I forget something so important just because he's near me and makes me feel someone special?"

Silence fell between them after that since Ayako couldn't actually utter her answer, though it was quite obvious already. But then, she chose to say it.

"Probably because you're starting to fall in love with him."

Riya faced Ayako as soon as those words were said, her eyes slightly widened. And as she thought about it over and over, both her mind and her heart flashed out the answer she never thought was lying in front of her for the longest time possible.

_You got it wrong, Ayako-chan,_ she said to herself. For some reason, she couldn't actually voice it out. _I wasn't starting to fall in love with him. I have been in love with him for more than five years now… since the day I met him. And it's what making it harder for me to tell him the truth._

Riya just sighed and then she started walking away from that place. "Yeah… Probably…"


	15. The One To Protect

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 15**

**The One To Protect**

* * *

Kurama was already walking towards the school gate when he heard someone called his name. He turned around as soon as he heard the familiar voice.

"Wait up, Shuichi-kun!" Riya called as she ran towards him. "I thought you still have a club meeting today."

"It was cancelled because of the faculty meeting with regards to the Rose Festival," he answered and then he began to walk. "And besides, Yusuke talked to me a while back before he and Kuwabara headed out first."

"Yusuke? Why would he talk to you?" she asked innocently. _Don't tell me the demon shinobi are on the move again…_

However, Kurama remained serious. "I can't tell you the details right now." _I couldn't tell you that we'll be facing another danger with regards to the mission Koenma made us do,_ he sadly thought in addition to what he said.

"I see." Then silence fell.

"Where are you going, by the way? Is the soccer match already over?" he asked after a short while.

She nodded as she faced him. "Yeah, but Yukari-chan and I will head downtown to go to Ayako-chan's shop. We'll be having some issues to discuss."

When they reached an intersection, it was when Riya took her leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school, Shuichi-kun. Be sure to get ready for the practice, okay?" she mentioned with a smile.

Kurama returned the gesture and waved as she walked away from him. "I will. Be careful on your way."

And with that, she left him. But it took a while before he finally head to his destination. Somewhere in his heart, he was feeling guilty for not telling Riya the truth about his mission along with Yusuke. But he couldn't afford to endanger her any further after she got hurt from the demon shinobi's last attack at the school. He couldn't watch her got hurt because of it.

_I'm really sorry, Riya. But I couldn't find a chance to tell you everything. Maybe one day… I could. But not right now. I couldn't let you face the same danger as we are._

After that, he turned and headed to the park where Yusuke asked to meet him along with the others.

* * *

_**At the park…**_

Kurama arrived and he saw that Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan were already there waiting. As for Hiei, he was still out of sight.

"Sorry about the sudden call, Kurama," Yusuke said as soon as he arrived. "I've been sensing the Flute of Melody's energy lately and some demon shinobi, as well. It's been a while since they last made an appearance to any of us."

"It's alright, Yusuke. There might have been some activities regarding our enemy and the wielders recently that we don't know," he said. "But I noticed that the wielder of the Arrow of Wind hadn't made an appearance along with the other wielders at all. Not even once."

And when they thought about it, the three realized that what he said was true.

"Now that I think about it, you're right," Botan said. "But I also think that Hiei had so much confrontation with the wielder of the Dragon Sword of Flame recently. Or at least that's what I noticed."

"Fire versus fire, huh? It's going to be one tough battle when that happens," Yusuke commented.

"I have to agree with Urameshi on that one," Kuwabara added. "But if that's the case, why wouldn't he just arrest the wielder and take the weapon from her? That way, our mission would be finished in no time."

"I don't think it would be that easy, Kuwabara," Kurama countered to what Kuwabara said. "You must have forgotten their ranks in terms of powers."

When Kuwabara remembered that part of the legend told to them before, he just scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

But before anyone could react to that, they already sensed a powerful evil aura hovering near. And when they looked up to the sky, they saw several dark-colored shards coming towards them. With that, they leap away from that place in order to avoid it the shards. But that was when they made a mistake. When the shards struck the ground, it immediately turned and came after them faster than they thought.

Yusuke used his Spirit Gun to blow up the shards coming after him to bits. Kuwabara summoned his Spirit Sword and tried to strike and destroy it to pieces. Kurama used his Rose Whip to cut the shards. Then one small piece of that cut shards entered his body—something that he hadn't noticed.

They successfully destroyed the shards, but the damage it caused upon impact to the ground was massive. Soon, many people would be coming there to check it out and it would be trouble for them. When they looked at the sky, they noticed a demon shinobi floating in mid-air.

"You're good, Spirit Detectives," a female demon shinobi commented and then smirked at the sight of the damage on the park grounds. "I'm not surprised you had escaped that low-level attack."

But before they could say anything else, they felt a sudden gust of wind that distracted them. When it was over, they looked around then up. They were surprised to see the night sky suddenly turned starless, cloudy and red in color.

"What happened? What was that wind all about?" Yusuke asked as he continued to look around. "This place suddenly turned creepy after that."

"We're inside a dimensional barrier, one that disables the damage done inside and it won't affect anyone who was outside the barrier," Kurama stated. "Someone among the wielders must have cast this barrier to prevent catching attention."

"They're really capable of doing that?" Kuwabara asked but no one managed to answer since they weren't really sure about it.

The demon shinobi tightened her grip on her staff and then swung her arm, throwing another batch of shards that were much bigger than the first.

"You got to be kidding me!" Yusuke shouted before he stretched out his index finger and fired his Spirit Gun.

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to destroy the shards coming towards them. But then Kurama began attacking.

"Rose Whip Slash!" he shouted as he strike the shards many times, slashing them to bits. But then he never anticipated the incoming attack from the shards and the demon shinobi's staff-turned-sword.

The shards that was cut out front still came towards him and struck him to his left arm and waist a few times. The sword of the demon shinobi came down to his shoulder and an ear-splitting sream pierced the stillness of everything inside that dome.

"Kurama!" Yusuke and Kuwabara screamed while Botan just gasped loudly at the sight because of shock.

* * *

Somewhere inside that dome, four people were trying their best to hide from those were there and at the same time watched the ongoing battle. Soujiro, Yukari, Ayako, and surprisingly Riya were there since they sensed the demon shinobi's presence from Ayako's shop. Upon Riya's command, Ayako cast a near-impenetrable dimensional dome—a force field of some sort—in order to mask magical effects from public view like the attacks of the Spirit Detectives and the demon shinobi.

At the sight of Kurama gotten hurt by those two surprise attacks from the demon shinobi, Soujiro clenched his fist and tightened his grip on the Scythe of the Deep Waters. Yukari did the same thing even though she was shocked. Ayako could only tighten her grip on the Staff of Shimmer as she gritted her teeth because of anger. Riya's eyes widened as she threw her hands to her mouth in order to prevent herself from screaming because of shock from witnessing Kurama had gotten hurt.

"That demon bastard!" Soujiro hissed in anger.

Yukari looked at her brother then to Riya who had not said anything after witnessing that sight. They just looked at Kurama who dropped to the ground after that attack. They saw Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan rushed to his side as he clutched his bleeding shoulder as he was panting slightly.

"Riya-chan…" Ayako called. "Are you alright?"

But no response came out of her. Instead, she just stood a little further from the other three and then faced both Soujiro and Yukari.

"Yukari-chan, Soujiro-kun, create a defensive barrier to surround those four. Ayako-chan, lower the strength of the barrier for a bit," she said and then she sighed. "I guess I'm left with no choice but to use it now."

The three wielders immediately understood their mistress' plan.

"As you wish, mistress," the three said in unison and positioned themselves to do their tasks.

As for Riya, she began materializing a beautiful and glowing bow and arrow on her hands.

_She finally summoned it… the Arrow of Wind_, Ayako thought when she glanced at Riya.

Riya immediately positioned herself with the bow and arrow on her hands. Her eyes hardened at the sight of the demon shinobi laughing for what happened to Kurama. She began stretching the string of the bow with the arrow on it as her eyes began to narrow.

_Let's see if you can still laugh like that after this, demon shinobi!_ She angrily said in her thoughts and then the arrow began to glow in bright yellow. Crackles of lightning began surrounding the arrow, as well. She aimed the arrow to the enemy before shouting a spell and released it.

"Luminous Thunder!"

The moment she released it, the arrow pierced the demon shinobi's body almost instantly before exploding after some seconds of electrocution. The Spirit Detectives were surprised at that sight but they were glad that the demon shinobi was dead.

Yukari looked at her after that. "For a moment there, I thought you're going to use the Storm Eagle spell to kill that wretched demon shinobi."

"I was planning to," she said nonchalantly. "But then I remembered that Ayako's force field couldn't cover up the damage that the Storm Eagle spell would leave at the scene."

"But this is surely getting harder for us to hide much longer," Soujiro commented. "If only we could make them understand the true purpose of the Legendary Weapons, then perhaps we won't be having a hard time at all."

Riya sighed after that. "Maybe someday, we could make them understand."

With nothing left to do, she left the scene. The others later followed her after releasing the barrier and the force field they cast a while back.

* * *

"Okay, that was an unexpected turn of event," Botan commented after witnessing their enemy's death.

_It was from the wielder of the Arrow of Wind. He finally made a secret appearance along with the other wielders,_ Kurama thought as he tried to stand up despite the wounds he acquired. Yusuke helped him do so.

"Can you still walk, Kurama?" Kuwabara asked. He nodded in response.

"Anyway, we need you to be healed. I'm sure Master Genkai could do it. She's in Yusuke's apartment, though. I hope you could still walk that far," Botan stated as she looked at him worriedly.

Kurama managed to smile despite the pain from his wounds. "I could still walk. But…"

But Yusuke somehow figured out what made the demon fox worried. "I'll try not to let Riya know you're hurt. Besides, I'm sure she'll yell at me big time when she finds out you're doing a mission with a delinquent person like me. She'll definitely smack my head several times when that happens. Her punches are even worse that Keiko's."

The red head laughed at that. And then they finally headed to Yusuke's apartment.

* * *

_**The next day…**_

The class were talking a little louder than usual since it was the start of their practice for the play they were about to perform for the Rose Festival. They were given a full two and a half months to practice since the festival was actually a month-long celebration and the play would be performed as part of the ending celebration.

Class 2-C's play that was entitled _Beneath The Sakura Tree_ was said by Miss Ryuuzaki to have acquired the highest score from most of the teachers. That was why they agreed that it should be performed last. Several preparations were made and the other roles had been assigned so all that was left was to practice. As for Class 2-D (Yusuke's class), they were going to do a theatrical play as well, using Ayako and her partner's piece. It would be performed two days before the presentation of Class 2-C's play.

Riya arrived at the school earlier than usual and began reading the script as soon as she arrived. But then she noticed that she couldn't actually concentrate on what she was reading because of her worries for a certain person.

Kurama.

Her worries for the said red head were becoming intense slowly but steadily as each seconds passed. Kurama hadn't actually arrived yet and she was worried that something might have happened to him after the battle on the park last night.

_I hope nothing happened to him…_ she hoped as she continued to read the script.

After a few more minutes, Kurama entered the classroom. Ayako was the one who spoke first upon his arrival that made Riya stop reading.

"You're late, Minamino-kun," Ayako said with her hands on her waists.

Kurama only smiled at that. "Sorry, Kirisawa-san. For some reason, I woke up late than my usual wake up time." And then he proceeded to his seat.

Riya raised her head as soon as Kurama reached his seat and what she saw made her frown a bit. "Are you alright, Shuichi-kun?"

Though caught surprised with her question, he smiled and answered. "Yeah, I am. What made you ask that?"

But that smile didn't actually ease her worries for him. Still, she responded. "You… actually looked pale… As if you're sick. Are you sure, you're alright? If you're sick, you could go home and we could just practice the other scenes. You don't have to force yourself coming here if you're not feeling well."

"I'm… fine, really," he insisted. "So you don't have to worry about anything, okay?"

She sighed exasperatingly because of that and stood up from her seat that surprised him. And what surprised him even more was when she stood in front of him and leaned closer. Now they were facing each other with only a few inches distance. She stared at him for some seconds before she lifted her hand and laced it on his forehead; her eyes still have worries etched in it.

"You're burning up," she uttered after a short while. "I think it's for the best if you head out to the clinic since it appears to me that you don't have to go home because of this."

He shook his head before he stood up. "I'm fine."

"Well, you're not!" she said. "So don't insist on something you're actually not and stop being a hard-headed and insisting person."

He looked at her intently for some seconds before he sighed and laughed.

"What's so amusing?" she asked confusingly.

"You are," he answered after laughing. And then he faced her. "But you're right. I'll head out to the nurse's office now… and—" But he never managed to continue what he wanted to say when all of a sudden, everything around his sight began to blur and his mind slightly spun. After that, his surroundings became black as he collapsed in seconds but he still managed to hear Riya called out his name.

"Shuichi-kun!"

And that was all he remembered.


	16. A Spark Of Hope And Love

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 16**

**A Spark Of Hope And Love**

* * *

_**School clinic…**_

Some of Kurama's classmates called the attention of the school doctor and in a few minutes, they carried him through the stretcher and they took him to the clinic. Riya and Ayako insisted on staying beside him since they knew that it wasn't just a simple fever that took over the fox demon. It was something worse.

When the doctor had finished doing some examination, she concluded that it was indeed a fever. But Riya knew better. Something from the battle last night made Kurama sick right now. And it was something she needed to find out no matter what.

When they entered the room and had a look on Kurama's condition, they saw him actually getting paler by the second. His breathing was becoming heavy and he was sweating hard. Riya was really becoming worried.

They made sure that the doctor wasn't around before they talked.

"I know something's weird going on but I couldn't figure out what," Ayako started as a whisper.

Riya didn't say anything regarding that. Instead, she placed her hand just a little above his torso and her hand began to emit a silver glow. Her eyes were closed the whole time. The glow lasted for a minute before it faded. Certainly, she didn't like what she found out.

"His physical wounds may have been healed completely but there's something left inside of him that caused him to be sick," she concluded that puzzled Ayako. Even still, she continued. "And that certain 'something' has poison in it."

"It could have been something from the sword," Ayako commented.

Riya tried to remember the events during the fight last night and as much as possible, she wanted to remember every detail. For minutes, she and Ayako tried but then a sudden touch completely distracted the flow of her thoughts. It wasn't just as simple touch; someone actually gripped her left hand that was just near the bed.

When she looked down, she saw Kurama facing her as his hand was holding hers—something that she hadn't expected. After a few seconds of silence between them, Ayako finally broke it.

"I think I better leave you two alone," Ayako said as she teasingly smiled. "I don't want to ruin your memories together." And with that said, she left Riya and Kurama alone in that room.

Kurama hadn't let go of her hand but she wasn't angry about it. In fact, she liked it—a lot. But that positive feeling turned into worries when he began breathing heavily again.

"You should be getting some rest. Come on, you need to sleep. Okay?" she said as she wiped the sweat on his face with a wet towel that was just on a basin near his bed. She did it as careful as possible.

"It was probably one of the small shards that I destroyed last night," he mumbled as his breathing began to slowly even out. But Riya heard what he said and that was when she remembered it.

It was fast and undetectable to the naked eye but she saw a small shard entered his body. The entry of the shard to his body happened in a flash. At first, she thought it was nothing but now that he mentioned it…

She sighed and then smiled as she faced him before she sat on the chair near the bed; Kurama still holding her hand. "You're just having delusions. Maybe it's for the best if you just sleep. I promise; you'll be fine when you wake up."

Kurama slowly faced her and then he looked at her half-eyed but intently.

"Only if you promise me you wouldn't leave… That you'll be here when I wake up," he said that definitely surprised her but she didn't show it.

Instead, she held his hand tighter as she looked at him. "I promise."

And with that, he slowly closed his eyes as his breathing even out.

She waited for a few minutes before she made sure that Kurama was asleep. And then, she stood up to release her hand from his grip. But to her surprise, he was holding onto it tight, as if making sure that she wouldn't let go.

_You really wanted to make sure I fulfill my promise, huh?_ She thought with a smile on her face before becoming serious. She gave up releasing her hand from his grip. That was why she decided to do the task on her free right hand as soon as she could.

She took a deep breath first before placing her hand a few inches away from his chest where she finally managed to detect the suspected shard. But before she could do anything else, she looked at Kurama's peacefully sleeping face that made her heart smile.

"You'll be fine when you wake up. I promise," she whispered before she proceeded.

Her hand began to emit a silver glow again followed by the formation of an orb on her hand.

"Invisible weapon that tarnishes the pure blood, remove yourself from this body and be vanquished…" she uttered and the glow from the orb began to transfer to Kurama's body.

The glow continued to transfer just as the same time that a small shard followed by a dark-colored energy came out from his body. All of it was being absorbed by the orb and every bit of dark energy was gathered inside of it. The absorption lasted for a minute or so before the glow faded but the orb still remained on her hand. The once silver-colored orb has now turned into a dark-colored one, most likely from the dark energy she absorbed from Kurama's body—the poison that was making him sick.

She was slightly panting when it was done. As she tried to tighten her grip to the orb, someone suddenly spoke behind her that startled her.

"You shouldn't be using that spell, Riya."

When she turned around, she wasn't surprised to see Yumi in her shorter version with purple eyes and longer blonde hair in that room. She sighed as a response to what the Fire Wielder said. "I don't have much of a choice. I might have killed that demon shinobi with the Arrow of Wind but I haven't prevented that shard from entering his body. He shouldn't be in this situation if they only knew what's really going on in the first place. This should've been just a battle between us wielders and the demon shinobis."

Yumi just looked at her after she said those words before glancing at the unconscious Kurama. She looked at him intently and smiled inwardly, followed by a thought.

_You're lucky to have someone like her in your life. There's only one thing you just need to do to pass the first trial. Fully accept her for who she is no matter what you will find out about her._

"But only certain turn of events will make them realize the real situation, Riya. And we can't just intervene with that. Our only mission is to prevent the complete destruction of the three realms just as the prophecy had foretold a long time ago," Yumi said seriously.

Riya heaved another sigh and then peered at Kurama. She was glad he was fine now; his breathing was a proof of that. And then she looked at the orb on her hand before handing it to Yumi. "Will it be okay if I ask you to destroy this for me? I spent most of my energy to absorb the poison in his body and I don't think I could destroy it completely with my strength now."

The blonde smiled and took the orb from her hand. "As you wish, mistress." And then she turned around to leave that place but stopped to her tracks when Riya called her.

"I was wondering. Where were you these past few days? And is it true that you're having confrontations with the fire demon named Hiei recently?"

Yumi's eyes slightly widened when she heard that question. But then she thought it was only natural for her friend to ask that. She hadn't showed up to her these past few days and actually left no words with regards to that.

"I was actually doing something on the Demon World… and I asked Hiei to help me," the blonde confessed.

"You're asking his help… for you to find your father, weren't you?" Riya said. Yumi nodded. "Does he know I'm your mistress?"

"No," she gently but immediately answered. "I'm trying my best not to reveal anything with regards to the wielders' mistress. So rest assured, he won't figure it out. At least for now…"

Riya smiled at her friend's answer. "That's better." And then her face turned serious. "Please make sure you destroy every bit of that poison."

"Don't worry, I will." With that said, Yumi left that room.

After that, Riya stared at the sleeping Kurama who was definitely alright and who haven't let go of her hand up until now. She sighed before she took the opportunity to look at his face closer; her right hand on the bed supporting her head as she leaned on it.

She didn't know how long she stared at him but in a way, it was worth it. She had the opportunity to sort out everything she was feeling about him.

It all felt like a dream. Almost three months ago, she transferred to Hanasakura Academy for a personal reason. It was the time when she met Minamino Shuichi. Even though she was treated as an outcast, he still approached her. No matter how many times she said that he should avoid her and leave her alone, he was still insistent on coming near her. And not much time passed by, the truth was revealed. Minamino Shuichi was indeed the Shuichi she met more than five years ago. When the day it was revealed, she also managed to release the hidden part of her—the part that had isolated itself from the harsh realities of the world.

A lot about her had changed ever since Kurama came to her life. He changed it for good, despite certain things that prevented her from telling the truth about her being a Legendary Weapon Wielder and the mistress of the other wielders. She couldn't tell how long she could hold on to the promise that she and Kurama made two weeks ago. But she would try her best.

But among those changes that happened to her, one of them was something unexpected and certain at the same time. Something that she had thought about for more than five years now.

She was indeed in love with him. She was sure of it now.

Now that she thought about it, Yumi said something to her when she told those hidden feelings when the blonde asked her if she was in love with Shuichi from before or the Shuichi/Kurama right now. She told Yumi that it was impossible for her to fall in love with Kurama for just almost three months that she knew him.

"_Love is not about the amount of time that you've met a certain person…"_ She remembered that statement from Yumi before. And when she thought about it thoroughly, she found out that her friend was right.

Love was definitely not about the amount of time that you've met a certain person. It was what your feelings and your instincts that tells you. We just know. And when you finally found that one person you were destined to love, you would know.

And that was what she exactly felt when Kurama got close to her even more. Now she knew.

It was the one truth she would never ever regret and take back… even if the inevitable battle comes just to destroy that truth.

With a smile on her face, she slowly closed her eyes as she placed her hand on the bed to be used as her pillow. She allowed that peaceful moment—plus the warmth from Kurama's grip on her other hand—to drift her consciousness away.

* * *

_**Several hours later…**_

It was already past lunch when Kurama finally opened his eyes after he fell asleep. It was definitely a good and relaxing sleep he had. It was something that he really needed after all the trouble that their mission had implicated on them.

He closed his eyes to remember what happened before he found himself there. But the only thing he could remember was when Riya tried to convince him to go to the clinic when she noticed him getting paler by the minute. And then, when she agreed to her suggestion, everything around him went black.

He winced for a few seconds before he managed to look around. And when he looked beside him, his eyes widened at the sight of a familiar figure on the bed. It wasn't that he didn't like it but still, it was a surprising sight. Riya was sleeping beside him.

Well, not literally and completely beside him since she was sitting on a chair near the bed and her head was placed on the edge. He could see that she was sound asleep and it made him smile inwardly. But then he noticed her outstretched left hand. When he looked further, he couldn't help but to let out a small gasp because of what he had seen.

His hand was actually holding hers. He hadn't let her go; that thought was already enough for him to blush as his heart beat faster. He gulped for a few times before he finally remembered what had happened for him to see that he was actually holding her hand…

"_You should be getting some rest. Come on, you need to sleep. Okay?" she said as she wiped the sweat on his face with a wet towel._

"_It was probably one of the small shards that I destroyed last night," he mumbled as his breathing began to slowly even out. _

_After a few seconds, she sighed and then smiled as she faced him before she sat on the chair near the bed; he was still holding her hand. "You're just having delusions. Maybe it's for the best if you just sleep. I promise; you'll be fine when you wake up."_

_Kurama slowly faced her and then he looked at her half-eyed but intently._

"_Only if you promise me you wouldn't leave… That you'll be here when I wake up." _

_She held his hand tighter as she looked at him. "I promise."_

He couldn't help but to smile when he remembered that. Now that he thought about it, he did feel better. He had no idea what had gotten in his mind for him to say something about the events last night to her. But it didn't even matter.

All he cared for at that moment was the fact that Riya definitely kept her promise. He was already fine now that he woke up and she never left—she stayed that was why she was there when he woke up.

He heard someone entered the room and after a few seconds, the curtains drew open. He wasn't surprised when he saw the school doctor.

"Ah, you've finally come to, Minamino-kun," the doctor said with a smile.

"Um… how long have I been sleeping, Sensei?" he asked.

The female doctor pondered for a while before checking her wristwatch. "More or less six hours," she answered. "Miyuzaki-chan here didn't leave your side the whole time. She said you're making sure she wouldn't leave because she couldn't actually release her hand from your grip." And then she giggled before she left.

He looked away from her before glancing at the sleeping Riya.

_I didn't… let go of her hand? Was my body acting on impulse for me to do that?_ He asked himself before he sighed and closed his eyes. _No, that's not it. I wasn't acting on impulse. It's what I want to do. I don't want her to leave me in that state. I wanted her to be by my side. That way, I could protect her._

Many other thoughts flowed in his mind as his eyes remained close. All of which concerned Riya. And now that he had a chance to think about it and sort things out, everything finally came down to one answer. An answer he must have ignored—but not forgotten—these past days.

Or maybe it wasn't that way at all. Everything between him and Riya probably happened for a reason. And right now, he finally figured it out.

He was starting to fall in love with her.

How could he have been so blind? He couldn't get her out of his mind. He was always worried about her safety and he wanted to do everything for her to be happy no matter what it takes for him to do it. This was the first time he felt that way for anyone. All of which were signs of him beginning to fall in love with her, right? It wasn't just a simple liking or affection.

After that, he brushed away the strands of hair that loosely covered Riya's face. He gently placed them behind her ears; his hand still holding hers. He actually loved the warmth and softness of her hand.

He couldn't tell right now and that feeling of his would be reciprocated in time. But it didn't matter right now. Protecting Riya—and loving her at the same time—was his highest priority as of now.

And he would continue doing so even if it means he has to do it from afar and might end up risking his life in the process. But that was love, right?

* * *

Riya opened her eyes soon after she felt that someone actually pinched her nose. But what she saw was something unexpected that made her heart pound as heat began to travel to her face. And that only happened when…

"You're finally awake," Kurama said with a smile.

She pretended that nothing weird was happening to her again as she sat straight on the chair while yawning. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I'm not sure. A few hours, perhaps," he answered before he sat on the bed. "Anyway, thank you for staying here with me. I even caused trouble to you. I bet you haven't attended the other classes because you're watching over me and I couldn't even let your hand go."

With that said, she immediately glanced at her hand that was held by him. And she wasn't surprised to see him still holding it.

"So I guess you could let it go now," she said.

But to her surprise, he didn't. Instead, he held on to it even tighter that caused sudden surge of emotions ran through her veins. Okay… this was something she wasn't expecting. Even though she admitted a while back that she was in love with him, this was just all too sudden. All she could hope for was not to be betrayed by her own emotions and feelings for this guy.

"What if I don't want to?" he asked seriously that startled her. Long silence filled the air but then he took the opportunity for him to say something else aside from almost confessing his feelings for her. "Alright, I'll let it go… if you agreed to be my date at the Rose Ball three days from now."

That definitely caught her off-guard since it was completely unexpected… again. Seriously, she couldn't figure out what this guy was thinking. But now that he said it, what he was offering was an opportunity knocking. She could even get close to him further. She wasn't sure if it would help but she might as well take it.

"Why are you asking me to be your date?" she asked to him instead. If he could give her a valid answer, then she would take it.

It took a while for Kurama to answer her question but she patiently waited. She saw him heaved a sigh before facing her.

"I just want you to be with me," he answered emotionally and seriously that made her hold her breath. "And I'm taking every opportunity that I have just to do it."

So both of them were thinking of the same thing.

"Will you be my date for the Rose Ball?" he asked. This time, his eyes have pleading in them.

And she could feel that she must not fail him.

She smiled genuinely before she answered, "Yes."

And so, a big date was coming right up and it would happen at Hanasakura Academy's Rose Ball.

* * *

But unknown to Kurama and Riya inside that particular room, some people were eavesdropping outside. And they weren't just "some people"; they were the people that has been monitoring those two since the formal introduction/date happened two weeks ago. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, Botan, Ayako, Yukari and Soujiro were actually there as they listened to each and every word that Kurama and Riya had spoken.


	17. The Enchanting Rose Ball

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 17**

**The Enchanting Rose Ball**

* * *

But unknown to Kurama and Riya inside that particular room, some people were eavesdropping outside. And they weren't just "some people"; they were the people that has been monitoring those two since the formal introduction/date happened two weeks ago. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, Botan, Ayako, Yukari and Soujiro were actually there as they listened to each and every word that Kurama and Riya had spoken.

The first four came to Class 2-C to check on Kurama an hour before. They were surprised when they learned that Kurama ended up in the clinic because of fever. And so they headed immediately to the clinic but they were surprised to see Kurama and Riya sleeping together in that room, with Kurama holding Riya's hand. They decided to wait for the two to wake up before they could enter but they never did when they heard those two people's conversation.

And that includes Kurama's bold question about asking Riya to be his date for the traditional Rose Ball.

"Wow! I never expected Kurama to be this good when it comes to asking girls to be his date," Kuwabara said in a soft tone. "Or maybe I shouldn't since he already have good looks."

"This is actually the first time he personally asked a girl to be his date," Ayako seriously stated. "He's been my classmate since middle school so I know that part of his life. Usually, it's the girls who were asking him and not the other way around. Ever since Riya-chan came here, everything about him changed."

"Really? Like what?" Yusuke asked.

"There's a lot to tell and I can't possibly enumerate all of it," Ayako simply answered that made everyone sweat dropped. But she thought that it would be better if those guys could discover it themselves. "It's better if you wait for them in our classroom. It's possible that it'll take them some time before they could get out there. So, mind as well, respect their privacy."

Keiko and Botan giggled at that. Kuwabara, Yusuke, Soujiro and Yukari were having a good conversation as they all headed to Class 2-C…

…without knowing that the Spirit Detectives were starting to become acquainted to the Legendary Weapon Wielders themselves!

* * *

**_Kirisawa Mansion, Ayako's room…_**

It was already way past midnight and most of the lights inside the mansion were turned off. The night wind blew softly as they passed the sakura trees on the backyard and nearby gardens. The stars plastered on the night sky were shimmering brighter than they were last night. But this particular night was something different.

The moon was surprisingly bright and in full shape.

And it was something that was perfectly right for Ayako to do her meditation—more specifically, her predictions. She was actually born with a strong aptitude in her precognitive ability and sense danger. Her ESP often leads her to have premonitions of upcoming events that no one can avoid or prevent from happening. Her premonition of the dangers that the Spirit Detective faced the last time was already the proof of that. Along with it was about the lead roles for their play to be performed during the Rose Ball, in which she also predicted the night before Miss Ryuuzaki formally announced it.

She inherited this ability from her mother who died when she was eight years old. Her mother's death became the reason why she rarely used this but there were instances in which she unconsciously used it. It had become powerful when she was revealed to be a Legendary Weapon Wielder and the bearer of the Amber Heart (a magical gem inside the wielder that became the source of his powers and a proof of a wielder's identity).

Right now, she was sitting on an orange futon on the veranda of her room, facing the full moon. Her eyes were closed; her hands were both placed on her lap. As the light of the full moon began to shine down on her, orange energy began to surround her as the wind continued to blow softer. This has lasted for a minute or so before the energy faded and opened her eyes. After that, she looked at the full moon with a solemn face.

"Romance beneath the sakura tree… Red rose and white rose together… A fated revelation between two unsure hearts in love…" she mumbled before she smiled after a few seconds. _This would be something to watch out for. I guess I better inform the others about this._

And then she stood up before materializing a virtual screen in front of her. In it, images of Yumi, Soujiro and Yukari appeared along with two others. A teenage boy and a teenage girl—both orange-haired and blue eyed.

"It seems to me you've discovered something interesting, Ayako-chan," Yumi stated with a small smile.

She returned the gesture and spoke. "Yes, I have, Captain. And it will happen tonight—" she paused. "—during the Rose Ball."

**.**

The anticipated Rose Ball of Hanasakura Academy had finally arrived and almost all of the students were getting ready preparing for the said event. Some of the faculty members and students were decorating the school's function hall with roses and ribbons, along with different lighting in order to make the event a memorable one.

The others were busy trying out their tuxedos and their gowns in order to get ready for the ball.

Among those 'others', more particularly Kurama and Riya, were in their respective houses to prepare for the ball.

Shiori was getting excited as Kurama tried on the three-piece suit that his stepfather got for him just for that event, especially when he told his family that he was the one who asked Riya to be his date for that night. In a way, he could say that they supported him. He noticed that ever since he introduced Riya to them, they kept on talking about her and the 'progress' in their relationship. Though he kept on saying that they were just friends and couldn't admit to them that he was starting to fall in love with her, they still didn't stop bugging him with regards to that. In a way, they knew that sooner or later, he would admit everything to them. Sooner or later, he would be able to admit his feelings for her. He just didn't know when.

When he came out of the room wearing the outfit, Shiori and Suuichi approached him with smiles on their faces. Kazuya was at work so he didn't have a chance to see his stepson in his formal wear. But he asked Shiori and Suuichi to take some pictures of it.

"Mom, do you think it looks… good?" Kurama sheepishly asked. Then he scanned himself to do his own assessment.

"It looks really good on you, Shuichi-san," his stepbrother commented. "This way, you won't be having a hard time catching the girls' attentions. Of course, I know your attention will only focus on your lovely date for the whole time. Right, Mom?" Then Suuichi faced Shiori.

She nodded. "That depends on the situation but I have to agree to what your brother said." Then she giggled.

All Kurama did was to blush because of that.

Shiori then approached closer to him and fixed his tie and the collar of his coat. "You wanted to confirm the feelings that you have in your heart for her, right?"

His eyes widened when he heard that and he couldn't say anything. His mother continued."Whatever it is that you feel for her, try to do something for her to realize that. It might take some time but still, you have to do something. That way, you'll know if your feelings for her would be reciprocated or not."

He didn't say anything because he couldn't. He didn't know how but it seemed that his mother somehow knew what he actually felt for Riya. But in the end, Shiori has a point.

"Thanks, Mom," he said with a small smile.

As for Riya, she was already fixing her hair for the Rose Ball that would start at 6:30 pm and Kurama would pick her up half an hour earlier. She did her hair in her usual ponytail that was curled using a curling iron and has two small batch of hair strands curled that framed her face. The ribbon used to tie it was colored blue as the color of her gown. When she was satisfied with her hair, she stood up from the chair and scanned herself on the mirror.

She was about to take her gown out of the box when she heard someone pressed the doorbell.

"That's weird. Who would visit me at this hour?" she asked to herself but still, she decided to go and see who was at the door of her apartment. But she was quite sure that those at the door weren't dangerous at all since she could sense it.

When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko and Botan at the door.

"Hi, Riya! Mind if we come in?" Yusuke greeted.

She smiled and then completely opened the door to let her guests enter. Kuwabara, Keiko and Botan looked around the apartment in awe as they saw elegance in each of the furniture there.

"Wow! I can't believe your cousin actually lived like a princess in this apartment, Urameshi," Kuwabara commented in awe as he continued to look around.

Keiko just smiled at that comment. "It's not really that impossible for her, Kuwabara. She is an heiress to one of the most prominent families in Japan, particularly in Hokkaido." And then Keiko faced Riya. "Right, Riya-chan?"

"I just wanted to make this place almost like the one I had back home, Keiko-chan," she said and then she faced Yusuke. "By the way, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be doing something at this hour? Or at least prepare for the ball?"

"We cancelled that for now since we're not hyped up to go there." It was Kuwabara who answered and then he laughed while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry. I haven't introduced myself. My name's Kuwabara Kazuma. I'm from Class 2-D along with Keiko and Urameshi."

"And I'm Botan, by the way," Botan said. "We're Yusuke's friends."

"Pleased to meet you," she said and slightly bowed. "My name's Miyuzaki Riya, Yusuke's cousin." And then she looked at them seriously. "But seriously, what made you come here?"

"We're here to help you get ready for your big date with someone tonight," Botan said excitedly and with a sly smile. "Right, Keiko-chan?" The said girl nodded.

She was surprised; nonetheless, she just frowned since she remembered that she hadn't mentioned to anyone about anything with regards to that date.

"How did you know that I'll be having a date with Kurama tonight?" It was late when she realized that she had said a name she shouldn't have. _Great! Me and my big mouth…_ "Ah… Just forget about that."

"You just said 'Kurama' a while back," Yusuke stated. "Did you just figure out that it's Minamino Shuichi's real name, Riya?"

It wasn't a demand; it was more of a concerned and curious question. Knowing Yusuke, he wouldn't stop until his questions were answered.

She sighed before facing her cousin. "More or less, I did. And I also know that he's… a demon."

No one said a word. But after a few moments of silence, Botan did.

"How?"

"His scent, even though it was most likely covered with scent of roses," she answered and then she sat on the sofa. "I also know that you're only taking a human form, Botan-chan. I could sense your spirit energy even from afar, Yusuke. Same goes to Kuwabara-kun."

Yusuke sighed before he sat beside her. "Does Kurama know about this?"

She shook her head. "I kept on calling him Shuichi-kun even though I already figured it out." She laughed weakly. "Pretty surprising, huh?"

"You can say that again," Kuwabara responded as they all sat on the sofa. "But since when did you start to sense spirit energies?"

"Since I was a kid. Yusuke knew that because I could see apparitions even since and somehow, I was shunned by my classmates because of it," she confessed. "I couldn't only sense them; I could also see them and identify them as either spirits or demons."

"I bet Kurama doesn't know that fact, as well." It was a statement rather than a question and she figured out when Yusuke said it.

"He also doesn't know that I've once monitored your encounter with the Legendary Weapon Wielders and the demon shinobi," she said in a soft tone but it was loud enough for everyone to hear it.

That was enough to surprise them. No one could say a word after that.

"Riya, are you one of the wielders?" Yusuke asked in a whim that surprised her inwardly.

She chuckled after a few seconds that made the four look at her curiously. "I only said that I've monitored your encounter but that doesn't mean I have one of the weapons. If I had, then one among the four of you who have the Legendary Weapons' energies would have sensed it inside of me. Besides, I can only use weak amount of power inside of me and it wasn't enough for me to become one of the wielders. From what I heard the weapons possess vast amount of powers, right? It's impossible for anyone to seal it for the time being in order to prevent detection from you."

"Hmm… you have a point," Yusuke said.

_Sorry, Yusuke. But I really have to keep this from you,_ she sadly thought. _There's no other way…_

"Well, better not disturb her with such questions anymore," Keiko said that made them snap out of their musings. Then she faced Botan. "We came here to help her get ready for her date, not interrogate her."

"I agree. So let's get started," Botan gleefully said and then took Riya from the sofa. "By the way, what time will Kurama arrive here to pick you up?"

"He said it would be half an hour before the ball will start, so it's around 6:00."

"We still have an hour so let's go!"

* * *

**_An hour later…_**

Kurama arrived at the building and now, he was already standing in front of Riya's apartment. He heaved a few heavy sighs before he lifted his hand and knocked on the door. He didn't know why but he felt like knocking on the door rather than pressing the doorbell. But he was surprised to see someone unexpected opened the door.

"Kuwabara! What are you doing here?" he couldn't help asking but all he got was a grin from Kuwabara before he opened the door completely.

Yusuke was smiling when he saw him on the sofa. "We came here to see you and Riya take off on your first date together," he said with a grin that surprised him. "I know you're wondering how the heck we knew that. Well, we did some eavesdropping while you were in the clinic three days ago. And for that, we cancelled our preparation for the ball just for this day."

"Botan and Keiko came here, as well. They said that they're going to help Riya prepare for your date," Kuwabara added.

He just shook his head slightly and smiled when he learned that. "I can't believe you guys."

Then he saw Yusuke approached him and tapped his shoulder. It made him look at Yusuke confusingly.

"I'll leave Riya to you, Kurama," Yusuke said seriously that caught him off-guard. "I know you'll take care of her."

Even though most likely he had an idea about what Yusuke just said, he just kept quiet about it. Somehow, he figured out that Yusuke wasn't only talking about the date alone. There was still something else.

He smiled before her answered. "I will."

That was the time when Keiko and Botan came out of the room smiling.

"Looks like the Prince Charming had arrived," Botan said while giggling. Keiko just smiled before they slowly guide a girl out. What they saw had definitely made them stare at her in awe.

Most likely, the girl was Riya was Kurama thought that she wasn't just Riya. She was just simply amazing and beautiful in her blue gown. It felt like she was a real life princess in a fairy tale. She was actually wearing a Greek-inspired gown that flared down at the bottom with light pink translucent above-the elbow gloves.

"I hope I looked alright," Riya said that broke the silence among them. "Like I told you, I'm suffering from fashion-related stress whenever there are occasions."

He smiled at that before he approached her. "You look great," he said sincerely. "It looks like Keiko and Botan did a good job on helping you prepare."

The others could see admiration in Kurama's eyes for Riya and they were happy that they somehow managed to help the two in some way. Now they knew that the date would turn out good.

After that, Kurama and Riya went out of the apartment together while the rest decided that they would stay there for a while before they head home.

When they finally went out of the building (that is after they crossed paths with some of the tenants and all said the same thing to them—they looked good together), Riya was surprised to see a red car parking outside and Kurama approached it.

"This is yours?" she asked and then looked at him.

"My stepfather lent it to me. Don't worry about the driver's license because I have one," he said with a reassuring smile.

"What about the driving skills?"

That was when both of them laughed. "You think I would be able to get a driver's license if I'm not good at driving?"

"Just asking," she said and entered the front seat after Kurama opened it. It was when she finally entered and closed the door that he preceded to the driver's seat.

But before he could start the engine, he faced her and smiled. "You look stunningly beautiful tonight, by the way. Your dress definitely looks good on you." Then he noticed her hair ornament, the white rose-adorned comb. "And the comb…"

"Botan-chan gave this to me while she was helping me fix myself," she said as she unconsciously touched it. "Although I have to say, the flower emblem of my family is the white rose."

He chuckled at that and then he started the engine.

* * *

**_Hanasakura Academy's function hall…_**

Most of the students and faculty members have already arrived in their formal wear. Music was played and lights were turned on to enhance the romantic ambiance of the venue, since love was the festival's theme. A lot could see that everyone was having a good time with their friends and dates.

But then most of them were definitely caught surprised when they looked at the entrance as a certain pair entered the function hall; while Ayako, Yukari, Soujiro and Miss Ryuuzaki were just smiling at the sight.

"Looks like the couple of the year has arrived…" Ayako said. "…although they weren't really couples yet."

"I guess in time they will. And I'll be waiting for that time to come," Yukari responded.

Kurama looked at Riya with worried eyes when he felt her hand turned cold all of a sudden as soon as they entered. He glanced around and that was when he figured out why their schoolmates were looking at them.

"You don't have to be afraid of them, Riya," he said to her reassuringly when he leaned to her. "I'll be here to protect you from them just in case they would say something bad to you."

Riya faced him with a small smile on her face. "I'm actually more worried of what they're going to say about you because of this. I have to admit that a lot of people will be here."

"It's a festival, silly. Of course, they'll be a lot of people here. Just don't mind those unnecessary things they say about you. Okay?"

She was left with no choice but to nod. Anyway, she has nothing to worry about. Kurama was here with her and he was willing to be with her and protect her. So it was going to be alright since he said so.

The pair proceeded to where Miss Ryuuzaki and Ayako were, unmindful of the many eyes that stared at them. As for the other students, even though it was surprising for them to see Kurama and Riya together, they started to feel somewhat envious for the two for some reasons.

The festival continued without a fuss. In a way, it went better than anyone had expected because a lot of students performed on stage to provide theme-related entertainment to everyone. The same goes to the Hondou siblings who performed on stage when Yukari played the piano and Soujiro sang that they haven't expected somehow. But eve still, Soujiro's performance actually made the event even more romantic especially when some couples began dancing a slow dance on the dance floor.

Kurama and Riya were just on their table when Ayako suddenly approached them and disrupted their conversation. From the smile that they could see from her face, they knew she was planning something. Or at least, that was what they thought.

"Hey, aren't you two going to dance? You're missing out the fun and the romance out here, you know," Ayako said with her hands on her waist." Come on! Soujiro-kun's performing a song, so don't miss it out."

Kurama looked at her for some seconds before he smiled and stood up. To Riya's surprise, he stood beside her and leaned to her with his hand in front of her.

"Can I ask you to dance with me, Riya?"

Though she was already expecting that question from him, it still caught her surprised. But since he asked for it, she had a feeling that she didn't want to fail him, let alone turn him down. Besides, it was another of the moments that she must take ahold since she would be with Kurama the whole time of the event.

"I would love to," she said with a gentle smile. Then she placed her hand on his before she stood up.

Before they knew it, Kurama was leading Riya to the dance floor. Even though the first song that Soujiro performed was finished, he and Yukari decided to perform another especially since they saw their mistress with the demon fox on the dance floor. Ayako gave them the 'go sign' for it. Because of that, the siblings knew what song to sing—a perfect song (so far) meant for Kurama and Riya.

_You're in my arms_

_And all the world is calm_

_The music playing on for only two_

_So close together_

_And when I'm with you_

_So close to feeling alive…_

The said pair started dancing as soon as the music began to play. They didn't decide to dance on the center of the dance floor but still, they caught the attention of the couples dancing there. It felt… beautiful just watching them dance like they were the only people existing there.

Seriously, that was what Kurama and Riya felt at that moment so magical that it made them feel so happy inside just being with each other… without them knowing that they were feeling the same thing.

But then, it wouldn't matter.

_A life goes by_

_Romantic dreams must die_

_So I bid mine goodbye and never knew_

_So close was waiting, waiting here with you_

_And now forever I know…_

Because of that, many other couples decided to dance along with them. Kurama and Riya noticed that and it made them laugh softly before they stared at each other.

"Sorry if I asked you to be my date…" Kurama said, breaking the silence between them as they danced. "It kind of felt like… I was forcing you to do something for me, knowing that a lot of guys here would want you to be their date tonight."

"So you regret asking me to be your date tonight?" she bluntly asked in a serious tone.

"No! That's not it!" he immediately said that surprised her. "That's not what I meant…"

It took her a while for her to absorb what she said in her mind. But then she noticed that he was avoiding her stares and… he was slightly blushing.

"I know…" she whispered that made Kurama look at her intently.

_All that I want is to hold you_

_So close_

"Sorry that I asked you such a foolish thing," she said sincerely. "I guess I could say that… I'm a little insecure as of the moment for some reasons."

He frowned at that. But he let here continue speaking.

"I may be a princess to my family but not to a certain guy that I love. I guess… I'm not as beautiful as real princesses are," she continued without looking at him. Her bangs were covering her eyes so he couldn't actually figure out what was she really thinking.

_So close to reaching that famous happy ending_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend_

_And now you're beside me and look how far we've come_

_So far, we are, so close_

Kurama sighed inwardly before he spoke. "You don't have any reason for you to become insecure. You may not be a princess but you're already beautiful to me." _Because if you're not beautiful inside and out, I would never have fallen in love with you,_ he added.

What he said made her look at him with questioning eyes. But he just smiled at that—one of the gentlest and sweetest smile that he had shown to her.

"Would that be enough for you to believe me?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

But she couldn't speak for some reason. It was just simple words yet its meaning was too much.

_How could I face the faceless days_

_If I should lose you now?_

She sighed and then she faced him.

"Like I said before, I would always trust you. And that includes believing in you, as well." After that, she smiled.

The dance continued like it was really meant for them. The couples on the dance floor felt like the romantic ambiance in that hall was somewhat enhanced by Kurama and Riya dancing together. It was like those two really looked like a couple—a real one.

And the song… They knew it has some sort of significance to the said pair, like it was their opportunity to be that close together for that particular night.

_We're so close_

_To reaching that famous happy ending_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend_

_Let's go on dreaming for we know we are_

_So close_

_So close_

_And still so far..._

The song ended and so was the dance. Kurama took it as an opportunity.

"Would it be okay if we head out somewhere else? Somewhere quiet and private," he whispered.

Riya smiled. "You mean to the place where we watched the fireworks more than two weeks ago?"

"You knew, huh?" he commented before he nodded.

To his surprised, she grabbed his hand before he started walking along with her. Then she faced him. "Then let's get going."

So they left the event together. Little did they know, there were sneaky people following them in order for them not to miss out the exciting events.


	18. Fateful Night

**A/N: This is like my Valentine's special chapter for those who faithfully read and review to my story. I was supposed to post this last week but then, for some reason, I couldn't sign in. The net won't let me do so and I was so frustrated that I wanted to give up posting. But then, my love for this story made me not to. Please leave a review after reading. I really appreciate reading them and it would be a great Valentine's gift for me. Hehe! Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 18**

**Fateful Night**

* * *

Like what she had speculated, Riya was led to the cliff where she and Kurama watched the fireworks display more than two weeks ago after meeting his family. It was the same place where they made that promise.

The moon was not in full shape but it was bright, which made it still beautiful. It made the night even more peaceful and serene—which was perfect for the two of them. They wanted to savor it as long as they wanted to.

"It's still beautiful no matter how many times you look at it," she said with a gentle smile on her face as she looked at the moon. "Something like this doesn't last forever… That's why we must savor it while we still have a chance."

Kurama was a bit troubled and surprised to hear the words coming from Riya but then he thought that it must be because of the scenery that night. Because of that, he approached her from behind and gently embraced her.

She was surprised when he did that, causing her eyes to open wide. Her heands were shaking as her heart beat began to increase its tempo. She couldn't figure out what to do. It wasn't the first time Kurama had gotten completely close to her. But those closeness from before didn't made her heart beat erratically the way it beats now. It was completely new to her.

"K-Kurama…" she whispered. It was too late when she realized what she had just said. But she has no intention of taking it back. This must be the time that she has to tell him a part of the truth.

He gently released her from his embrace before he turned her around to face him. His eyes had a surprised looks on his face, probably because he heard her called him by his real name—his demon name.

"Y-you just called me… Kurama…" he muttered, his hands were on her shoulders.

"That's your real name, right?" she said with a gentle smile on her face. "I have a spiritual ability on my own, making me able to distinguish spirits from demons even in their disguised forms. It also helps me determine their classes, as well." She held his forearm as her face turned serious. "I'm sorry… if I kept that truth from you."

A long defeaning silence surrounded the two, making the atmosphere between them somewhat tensed. Riya couldn't even look at him after that.

It was him who broke the silence between them. "Then I guess it wouldn't be too hard for me to keep my secret anymore."

That made her look at his eyes. She was surprised to see him smiling at her.

"Y-you're not made about me keeping it a secret from you all these times? Even though I said I could trust you forever—"

But it was interrupted abruptly when Kurama spoke a bit loud.

"I could do the same thing to you, Riya," he said that surprised her. "I'm going… to trust you forever, as well. That's why I'm not mad at you just because you kept that fact from me. In fact, I'm glad you told me that you knew my identity. You saved me the trouble of telling the truth to you." After he said that, he laughed softly.

All she could do was to look at him like that, not minding of the hands that were still holding her shoulders. Her hand that was holding his forearm immediately moved unconsciously to slowly touch his handsome face.

The face that has been a part of her dreams for more that five years now. The face that has been etched in her heart since day one.

She didn't even flinch when he touched her face after lifting one hand off her shoulder. Instead, the warm sensation from his touch made her unconsciously close her eyes for her to feel it even better. Her heart was pounding faster by the second. After a few more seconds, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Now it made me even more afraid than I was before," he suddenly said, worry was completely evident in his voice. "Now that you know my identity, I'm afraid that I could endanger you because of everything connected to me. I don't want you to face the danger that I was facing because I'm a demon."

"Kurama…"

She saw him closed his eyes tightly and it made her worried for him. But then she began patching up her thoughts as she continued watching him. Involving herself with a demon like Kurama was a big risk to take, especially since her true mission might even cost her life and his, as well. She didn't want him to be involved. She didn't want any unrelated spirits or demons to die because of a war that should only exist between the Legendary Weapon Wielders and the demon shinobi. But somehow, it was a risk she couldn't avoid since not all of them knew the true reason why the weapons vanished from their respective shrines in the first place. Only time could tell when would the truth be revealed to all of them. As for now, it was better that only the wielders knew that secret reason.

This was a gamble where her life or the future of the three realms that was at stake. In a way, she only has to choose one.

Kurama then pulled her to his arms and embraced her tight that snapped her out of her musings. It definitely caught her surprised but it immediately faded when she felt him. He was trembling as he continued to embrace her.

But why was he trembling?

"I'm sorry, Riya…" he whispered near her ear. "I didn't mean to surprise you like this. It's just that… I'm too scared right now."

_Scared? Why would he be scared? _She asked to herself as she continued to listen to him.

"Now I'm too scared to die… because of our mission and our battle with the demon shinobi. I can't lose you the same way. I don't want to lose you just because you'll be involved with me. I'd rather lose you alive than dead. That way, I could be relieved knowing I could still see you smile, laugh and cry. I would be happy that way because I know you're alive."

It took her a while before she could gather up her courage to speak up and say what she wanted to say.

"I'm glad you told me that… Kurama…" She released herself from his embrace, stepped away a little and looked intently at his green eyes. "But you see, you're the one who made me alive right now. You're the one who taught me how to smile, laugh and cry truly once again. You're the only one who helped me find my true self again. I'll be forever glad to you because of that. That's why… no matter what happens now, don't lose to them. I know you and Yusuke will do a good job." _Even if it means I have to forfeit my own life just for you to defeat them._

Kurama looked at her intently as she did before he lifted his hand and ran his fingers on her face. He didn't know why but his heart was telling him to do something—something that could possibly change everything between him and Riya in that one moment.

_But I have to do it,_ he said to himself. _I just want to confirm something that I have here in my heart. Just once—and once is all it takes for me to prove it to myself._

He sighed inwardly before moving even closer to Riya. Their eyes locked as he continued to let his hand caress her face. His heart pounded in anticipation and umplumbed longing.

"Would it be too early for me to kiss you, Riya?" he asked huskily.

Her mind was flashing and screaming at her at the same time saying "yes" but then she felt her heart was eager to say otherwise. In the end, her heart—her heart that truly loved the man in front of her—prevailed. She was happy with that result.

"No," she answered that made him smile.

Unknown to him, her heart pounded in the same anticipation and longing. She wanted him to kiss her like there was no tomorrow.

Slowly, his face moved inch by inch closer to hers. She closed her eyes. At the first touch of his lips to hers, everything around became hazy. Not only that, her world seemed to just stopped turning. Although she knew it would just be a simple kiss, it was still as spine-tingling as a torrid kiss. But then she has no doubt.

As for Kurama, kissing Riya only brought out the hidden truth lying in his heart completely. Now he didn't feel any doubt as to what he really felt for Riya. As he deepened the kiss, he realized that he was in love. It wasn't just any other love. It was a sort of romantic love that definitely seeped through his heart as he held her close to him.

There was no doubt about it. He was truly, deeply, madly in love with Riya.

_Now I finally know that… At long last, I found out!_

* * *

**I'm not sure what to say to this chapter except that it's sweet in my perception. How I wish I could have this kind of sweet moment with someone special in my heart.**

**Please review. ^_^**


	19. Blazing Hearts

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 19**

**Blazing Hearts**

* * *

The kiss ended and then they faced each other. It might not have been a direct declaration of love or any confession of some sort. But it was enough for them to reach a silent understanding. They smiled and then they embraced, savoring the presence and warmth of each other while they could.

That way, doubts and fears would fade away and leave them… even just for a while.

For that sole reason, they didn't even notice the hidden presence of some people who actually followed them to that cliff. Seriously, none of them could react properly or say anything when they witnessed an unexpected kissing scene between Kurama and Riya. They also heard their conversation.

"They really have that kind of feelings for each other. I can't believe it," Yusuke muttered as he continued to watch his cousin and his fox demon friend together. "I guess Kurama's worries for her safety became the reason why he got injured most of the time when fighting the demon shinobis."

"And now that Riya-chan told the truth to him, he would be even more worried for her," Botan added.

"They're willing to trust each other forever… I wonder what made them say that."

They glanced at Keiko when they heard her say that. But somehow, Yusuke came up with a possible and probably and plausible explanation for that.

"I bet it's Riya-chan who first said that since she trusted Kurama with all her heart despite already knowing that he's a fox demon. In some way, they trusted each other that only they could feel and understand. We just have to let them do so."

"I guess Kurama's effort to be with Riya-chan paid off," Kuwabara commented seriously. "I wish my effort to let Yukina-san know that I love her would pay off someday, too."

The others just looked at him with such doubtful eyes and they began to giggle.

"Now you ruined the serious mode here, Kuwabara. Dream on," Botan said while struggling to contain her laughter.

Kuwabara just glared at them as they continued to laugh.

_I hope you finally find yourself, Riya. That alone could make me happy for you,_ Yusuke thought as he glanced at the said girl in the arms of Kurama.

* * *

_**The next morning…**_

Many students were already at the school when Riya arrived there. Since they decided to practice earlier than scheduled, she arrived early. The day before the Rose Festival, the class decided that the script should be performed through movie and not as a play. After further discussions with the teachers concerned, especially Miss Ryuuzaki, it was agreed on.

Now the scenes to be filmed would be at the school. Some of the scenes had her and Kurama in it. That was why she has to practice her lines with Kurama. She could only hope she wouldn't stammer in front of him since the event on the cliff last night was still vividly etched in her mind that made her unable to sleep early.

But she couldn't deny the fact that it made her happy deep inside. It was something she had never felt before. That sort of indefinable happiness welling up inside of her just simply recalling the kiss—it was something that was undeniably new.

"Good morning, Riya-chan," Kirika, her classmate and Ayako's friend, greeted her as soon as she entered the room.

"Good morning, Kirika-chan," she replied with a smile. Then she saw the said girl approached her. "Are you getting ready for the shooting?"

Kirika nodded. "We were about to head out to the rooftop since some of the scenes with you and Minamino-kun will be filmed there. We'll wait for you here so that we could go together."

"Alright." Riya proceeded to her seat and placed her bag there. After taking her script out of her bag, she placed the bag on the table and left the room with Kirika and Miwako, Ayako's other friend.

"You know, I'm actually a bit envious that you have the lead role along with Minamino-kun," Kirika started that made her face the girl. "But I guess it's much beter if you really got paired up with him rather than pairing him with the other girls in his fan club."

"I agree with Kirika-chan," Miwako said before the two girls laughed and left Riya pondering a bit on that.

"But why do you think that, Kirika-chan?" she asked.

Kirika and Miwako looked at her and then smiled.

"Well, you look perfect with Minamino-kun," Miwako said.

It took her a while before the thought actually registered in her mind. When it finally did…

"What?" she exclaimed. "W-what are you talking about, Miwako-chan? Y-you know that's impossible to happen."

"No, it's not. Besides, it's quite obvious that Minamino-kun was totally into you," Miwako replied. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if you and Minamino-kun ended up together. I hope that our movie could bring you two closer than you are now."

"Miwako-chan…" Riya mumbled as she stared at Miwako. Then she sighed. "I guess you're right. But whenever I keep on thinking about it, I couldn't help but to feel worried for so many reasons."

The two girls looked at her while she looked down. "Worried? What for?"

"I don't want to hurt him in the end," she admitted. "In any way, I don't want to hurt him. A lot of things and possibilities could happen and I'm worried that it might lead me to hurt him, cause pain to him. I wouldn't be able to bear that."

No one said a word after that which filled the air with silence. The only thing they could hear was their footsteps as they walked through the hallway.

Now that her fears doubled, she didn't know how to deal with it in order not to be consumed by it. She wouldn't want her fears to be the reason for her to give up completely.

"But you know," Kirika said that broke the silence. "It's natural for any of us to be worried over many things, especially when we're in love and we're already sure of our feelings for that person. We're afraid of hurting them that would eventually be the reason for them to leave us. It would be unbearable. But if we don't spend much time with them for as long as we could because of that fear inside of us, we're already letting that one chance given to us slip from the palm of our hands." Kirika looked at her the moment Riya raised her head. "That's why spend as much time as you can with him."

"You'll be fine, Riya-chan," Miwako added. "And we'll make sure that the girls in Minamino-kun's fan club wouldn't bother you two."

Though she was surprised to hear that from Kirika and Miwako, Riya was still happy. It made her laugh.

"Thank you, Kirika-chan, Miwako-chan," she said sincerely. "Now I felt better somehow."

* * *

_**Rooftop…**_

When Riya, Kirika and Miwako arrived, they were surprised to see that the whole class were there, getting ready for the shooting. Some were practicing their lines while others were fixing the equipments needed for the filming.

"Wow! Everyone's really getting into it," Kirika commented as they just looked around the place.

But there were other reasons for Riya to look around other than to watch her classmates prepare. She couldn't help but to feel down when she wasn't able to see what she was looking for.

_Stupid… Why do I want to see him this bad even though we were just together last night?_ She sighed so that she could calm herself for some reason.

"Good morning, Riya," a familiar voice greeted that came from behind her and made her heart pound wildly. For that reason, she couldn't even turn around to face that person. She felt like it was awkward for her to him in the eyes after what happened to them.

But it would be rude of her if she didn't greet him as usual. Besides, the whole class would suspect that something happened when she did that. So even though she was blushing and her heart continued to beat fast, she would still face Kurama and act like she usually did. She sighed heavily before she turned around and faced the said guy.

"Good morning, Shuichi-kun. You're late," she said with a smile. Good thing her tongue didn't slip when mentioning his name.

Though her smile caught Kurama a little surprised, she managed to return the gesture. "I ran down a few little things with Yusuke."

"With Yusuke?" she asked; worries evident in her voice. "Did something happen?"

Kurama shook his head. "No, nothing unexpected happened if you're thinking about that."

That was when she heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I thought something happened that made you meet up with Yusuke."

Before Kurama could speak up, Kirika approached them. "Riya-chan, Minamino-kun, better get ready since we will start the filming in 15 minutes. Your scenes will be the first to be filmed."

"Okay," both of them said that made them look at each other for some seconds and afterwards, they laughed.

_**I guess what happened last night didn't bother you that much,**_ Kurama said to her telepathically that surprised her inwardly. If what she noticed was right, there was a hint of sadness and disappointment in his voice when he said that.

She turned around and started walking away from him, but not without answering him the same way. _**Who said I wasn't bothered at all? Because of that, I couldn't even sleep last night. I just hope I wouldn't stammer in front of you when we're doing our scenes and saying my lines.**_

_**Is that so? I'm glad,**_ he replied that made her frown because of that.

_Glad? Why would you be glad? You're glad that I couldn't sleep because of that kiss?_ She blurted in her mind but she tried not to say it to him telepathically. What he said next made her heart skip a beat and stopped her to her tracks.

_**I'm glad… that I wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep because of that kiss,**_ he continued. _**Because of that kiss, I finally figured out the answer to my question bugging me this entire time.**_

She couldn't look at him even though she already stopped walking away from him. He was staring at her, she could feel that. Her grip to the script she was holding tightened as her heartbeat increased its tempo once again. Does that mean…?

She clutched her chest, to where her heart was. How many times did her heart beat that way ever since she met Kurama and got close to him? Actually, she couldn't tell. There was no way she could tell anymore. Now, he was being honest—or maybe a little too honest—about what he felt after that mind-blowing kiss that almost took her breath—and her sanity—away. It was more than enough for her heart to beat fast over and over.

After all, it was her first kiss. And she was actually glad that it came from Kurama, her first and probably her only true love… no matter what fate might bring to them from then on.

Even if everything about all of that comes to an unexpected end that she could never avoid…

"_It's natural for any of us to be worried over many things, especially when we're in love and we're already sure of our feelings for that person. We're afraid of hurting them that would eventually be the reason for them to leave us. It would be unbearable. But if we don't spend much time with them for as long as we could because of that fear inside of us, we're already letting that one chance given to us slip from the palm of our hands…"_ She remembered those words that Kirika said a while back. It made her think of something. Since she only had a short time to do what she must, she had to do whatever she needed to do in order for her not to let go of the chance she had right now. That's why…

_**Hey, Kurama…**_ she started telepathically. She still didn't turn around but she opened her script and pretended to focus herself on reading it. _**Would it be okay for you if we meet up at the school gate after this day's shooting?**_

_**Huh? I-I don't really mind. But what for?**_ He asked, puzzled as to why she would ask such a thing when he was the one who usually asked that to her.

_**There's a lot of thing I wanted to tell you… Things related to me and how it would affect everything between us.**_ She looked down after that, allowing her bangs to cover her eyes that made it unable for the others to know what she was actually thinking. _**Somehow, I don't want us to live in secrecy anymore… especially with what happened to us last night…**_

_But still, I couldn't tell you everything that would make you unable to forgive me…_ she regrettably thought that made her close her eyes to prevent her tears from falling. She knew why those tears came out but she has to prevent them from falling no matter what.

She vaguely heard Kurama sigh behind her even though she was a few feet away from him.

_**I'll see you there, then,**_ he said to her telepathically.

That made her smile inwardly before she continued walking away from him.

Kurama, on the other hand, couldn't even move from his spot even after Riya left. His hand was clutching on the script he rolled and his grip on it tightened when he felt his heart beat wildly. But not as wild as it was the night he kissed her.

He smiled after he saw Riya began reading the script in one corner along with their other classmates who would be in the scene that they were about to film. And with that, he also headed in one corner to prepare for the filming of the scenes between Hoshino Kenji (that's his role) and Nagishima Kimiko (Riya's role) the rooftop of the school.

* * *

_**After that day's shooting…**_

"Alright, everyone! Be sure to come here early for us to film the other school-related scenes tomorrow. We only have a month to finish this, that's why we need to focus ourselves in making this movie a magnificent one."

"Yes!" the students replied to what Ayako said since she was the assistant director of that project. Miss Ryuuzaki proclaimed Kurama and Riya to be the directors since they were the ones who wrote the script and they knew very well how the scenes would go. Everyone began to pack things up in order to put it temporarily to the storage room.

Riya then approached Ayako as soon as the packing was done and everyone left the place, including Kurama.

"Ayako-chan, would it be okay if I skip the meeting just for today? You see, I have to talk to Kurama about something important," she said while slightly blushing as soon as she mentioned the name Kurama.

The brown-haired girl smiled at her. "A date, huh? If that's the case, then I won't hold you back."

Riya's face turned red because of that. "It's not a date, okay? We're just going to talk about something."

"But you're not going to tell him everything, are you?" Ayako asked seriously and with hint of worries.

She was about to turn around and then stopped when Ayako asked that. Silence filled the air as the wind gently blew. After a few seconds, she turned around and started walking away.

"I'm not that dumb enough to tell him everything… because I'm not yet ready to face his wrath and bear his harsh words once I did that," she uttered in a tone that was loud enough for the Light Wielder to hear it. _I wouldn't be able to bear that to my grave once something like that happened…_ she thought after she said those words.

When Riya finally left, Ayako clasped her hands and closed her eyes as she felt the wind blow gently. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to keep her calm.

_The destined days of the final revelation and the final battle are both coming near. But even if we're wielders, we couldn't even do anything to protect __**her**__… _Ayako thought sadly before looking up to the sky with sad eyes. _I guess Captain Yumi's right. Only Kurama could probably change that fate of hers. I just don't know how he will do that…_

And with that, she also left the rooftop.

* * *

"Sorry. Were you waiting so long?" a familiar voice suddenly asked from behind Kurama followed by footsteps—running footsteps—growing closer and closer. And that made him turn around to have a look at the girl who said that.

He shook his head before he smiled. "Not really. I'm only a few minutes ahead of you." He saw Riya finally stopped running and stood in front of him. "So what do you want us to talk about? I bet it's quite serious judging from the way you told me about meeting here earlier."

"You're right. Sorry about that." And then they started walking away from that place. "But the reason I said regarding that is true. Since we know each other's identity and our abilities, I might as well tell you other thing related to that."

He looked at her seriously. "What made you decide to do that?"

"One of them was the kiss that we shared last night," she answered that surprised him and made him blush. "I kind of figured out that the kiss might not be a direct confession or anything but it's enough for me to know that our relationship somehow reached a new level. And I thought I couldn't keep a secret to you anymore…" _But I'm not going to tell you all of my secrets yet. Only those I know that wouldn't affect everything that we have right now… Not yet…_ she added in her thoughts as she tightened her grip on the handle of her bag.

He could only look at her since he couldn't figure out what to say with regards to that. He, too, also thought that the kiss they shared that night might not be a direct confession of his feelings for her. But thanks to that, everything became clear to him.

"So who will start spilling out secrets?" he asked.

She frowned. "Huh?"

"Do you really think I would let you spill out your secrets without spilling some of mine, as well?" He then faced her and smiled. "I still have a lot to tell you aside from the fact that I'm a demon."

What he said made her smile, as well. "Really, huh? So I guess we should start with—" But her sentence abruptly halted to a stop when a sudden foreboding feeling struck her that made her stop to her tracks and looked around to confirm what she had just sensed.

And it appeared that it wasn't only her who sensed the dark energy hovering near… and fast! Kurama sensed it, too.

"Those demon shinobi really have some guts showing up here," he commented before he glanced at Riya.

But before he could say anything else, the sky began to change its color fast from orange to bloody red as the suspected demon shinobi launched its first attack. Kurama might have spotted the demon shinobi's position but then he was late to sense the incoming lightning attack aimed directly against them.

He ran towards Riya and took her for them to evade the attack but it came fast. Before he knew it, it smashed into the ground and the blast blew them away but it rolled towards them. He then faced the girl.

"Riya, you have to run now!" he said, before he knocked her over to one side. That moment already made himself expose to the attack he never saw coming besides the lightning attack rolling towards him.

And when the two attacks came into clash, an extremely powerful blast occurred followed by the expansion of another barrier at the scene. During that event, the rest of the Spirit Detectives arrived before the barrier trapped them inside.

"Kurama! Riya!" Yusuke screamed when the blast occurred and almost threw them away from there.

The resulting glow and shockwaves from the blast faded slowly but the thick smoke continued to block the view of the area. And what they saw made them quite surprised.


	20. Part Of The Truth

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER 20**

**Part Of The Truth**

* * *

"Kurama! Riya!" Yusuke screamed when the blast occurred and almost threw them away from there.

"Have those demon shinobi gone completely insane? Why would they attack Kurama and Riya from out of the blue?" Kuwabara asked as they tried not to be blown away by the explosion.

Hiei unsheathed his sword and firmly stabbed it to the ground to be used as a support in order not to be blown away and then he spoke. "That depends on their answer once we find that demon shinobi."

The resulting glow and shockwaves from the blast faded slowly but the thick smoke continued to block the view of the area. And what they saw after that made them quite surprised.

"W-what the heck happened?" Yusuke asked, most likely to himself when he saw two figures in the smoke. But what surprised him the most was when they saw Kurama behind the heavily panting Riya, whose both hands were surrounded with bright yellow glow and crackles of electricity.

The glow on her hands faded and then she collapsed to her knees, still panting.

"Good thing the attack has electricity on it, or else… or else I wouldn't be able to absorb it…" she murmured before looking behind her to check on Kurama. "Are you alright?"

Though stil surprised with what happened, he nodded. "Thanks to you. But how—"

"Later. We'll have time to talk," she said nonchalantly as she looked up, her eyes hardened. "But one thing I'll tell you… This is one secret that I want you to know." She stood up even though she was still feeling a bit dizzy because of absorbing the twin electric attack.

"Can you still move alright?" Kurama asked as he stood up and approached her with worries. "You're already injured because of absorbing the attack."

Riya faced him and smiled a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides—" she paused before glancing on one direction where Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei were approaching from. "—I'm not alone. You'll help me, right?"

Kurama smiled then nodded. "You can count on me."

"And us, too!" Yusuke yelled as he approached the pair. He was panting and took a deep breath after that. "Damn iy, Riya! What the heck was that ability you showed a while back? You really prevented Kurama from being harmed by that electric attack."

"Yeah, right. But in return, she almost ran out of energy just to absorb that attack," Hiei said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Riya just smiled at that. She didn't take that as an insult, though. "So now you can sense it, huh?"

"Not much. Somehow, you have your way of preventing your spiritual energy from being detected by any demon classes," Hiei said seriously as he looked at her the same way.

_That's not how it is, Hiei,_ she said to herself. _The seal is already beginning to break since my powers are getting weaker as each days passed._ And then she secretly glanced at Kurama who was looking at her with a serious expression on his face.

Unknown to her, Hiei managed to read her thoughts regarding that and it surprised him inwardly. And that was when he figured out what Yumi said to him yesterday about her master's conditon actually means.

But before he could ask her anything about that, one of them sensed another approaching attack. This time, from the demon shinobi itself with a big ball of black lightning on his hands.

"Diabolic Lightning!" the enemy shouted before throwing the attack to them.

Though it was fast approaching and the gang evaded the attack, Hiei and Kurama figured out that there was something wrong with it.

"Wait a minute. I couldn't sense any energy from that ball of lightning," Hiei commented when he landed to the ground a few meters away from their first position.

"That's because the attack was an illusion," Riya stated that made the others look at her. But before they could say another word, she suddenly began focusing her spiritual energy between her hands, forming a ball followed by many (and by many, it's thousands) large glowing dots being absorbed in that ball.

"W-what is she doing now?" Kuwabara asked, confused on what was going on.

At that instant, something struck Kurama that made him figure out the answer to Kuwabara's question.

"If I'm not mistaken, she's summoning lightning spirits to enhance the output power of her attack without risking her own spiritual energy," he said. "But that's only possible if you have mastered the Spirit Summoning Arts. And from what I heard, it will take you 30 years of training before you could do such a taxing ability."

"Then how did she…?" Yusuke could only say before looking at his cousin with extreme worries.

_Riya, you're already forfeiting your life just by doing that technique,_ Hiei thought as his face remained stoic to hide his worries for the said girl that Yumi was trying to protect with her life.

"The real attack of the demon shinobi…" Riya started as she faced above northwest from their spot"… will be coming from that direction!" she yelled before she raised the glowing ball, now glowing even brighter. "Spirit Thunder Blast!" she shouted as she threw a narrow particle beam shot surrounded with crackles of lightning to the northwest direction she was looking at earlier.

Like what she said, a lightning attack was heading towards them from the direction she fired the lightning beam. And Kurama finally sensed the demon shinobi's location after the latter threw the attack. Using his Rose Whip, he entangled the culprit that was hiding on the southwest direction and cut its body the instant the pulled the whip hard. The whip's thorns dug pretty deep into the demon shinobi's body that it was able to but the body easily.

"Well, that was easy," Yusuke said as he looked at Kurama but then he somehow wanted to take that back when he saw Riya's serious face. "Riya—"

"Shh!" she silenced him and scanned the area quickly. "Something doesn't add up here."

Before anyone could react to that, they sensed another evil presence from behind them. This time, it was even more powerful than the first one earlier.

"Shit! Where the hell are they coming from?" Yusuke asked pretty annoyed and immediately fired his Spirit Gun to the direction where he sensed the evil presence. Surprisingly, the beam did hit the demon shinobi approaching hard after it fired a fire beam.

"What? You got to be kidding me!" Kuwabara yelled as he watched the beam coming towards them fast. He summoned his Spirit Sword with the purpose of cutting the beam somehow.

"Are you sure that's the best idea, Kuwabara?" Riya asked while trying to think of a spell that would stop the beam as she tried to hold her laughter.

Hiei scoffed at that and answered. "He never really think about best ideas."

"Well, I don't care if it's the best idea or not but we really need to defend ourselves from that attack or else, we're toast!" Kuwabara said and took at fighting stance.

_I have to admit, it would be dangerous if we got hit by that fire beam. But seriously, the attacks might be powerful yet the demon shinobi casting it was weaker than the previous ones. There's something wrong here…_ she thought before she finally figured out a way to deal with the attack and the demon shinobi.

"Yusuke…" she called that caught the said person's attention. He faced her seriously. "I have an idea, but I need your help. All of your help."

Yusuke smiled. "You can count on me."

"If I'm going to deal with the demon shinobi, I would gladly do it," Hiei said with a smirk.

"It's not only you who's going to deal with that sick bastard but Kurama, as well. Kuwabara will be the one to destroy the source of the portal after our attacks destroy the beam and let it enter the portal."

Kuwabara frowned at that. "Source of the portal? Where will I find it?"

Riya pointed a certain direction… behind Kurama. When they turned around to look at it, they saw a globe of dark energy emitting a dark glow. Above it was the suspected portal she was talking about.

"Ready?" she asked. The others nodded.

They waited for the right distance they needed in order to commence with the plan. And in Yusuke's command…

"GO!" he yelled as his friends went to their destination as fast as they could.

Hiei and Kurama advanced to the demon shinobi's position where he was thrown by Yusuke's Spirit Gun earlier. The fire demon unsheathed his sword and in a matter of seconds, he and the demon shinobi were locked in an intense sword fight. Kurama tried to attack from behind as it would be the enemy's vulnerable spot but he was surprised to see another sword emerged from it back, blocking his attack.

Though caught surprised, he managed to counter when he realized what was going on.

_This demon shinobi can multiply any part of his body to defend him from surprise attacks. Most likely, he could multiply his hands to any part of his body and control it for sword fights like this,_ he concluded before something caught his eye. _His foot! That's where his weakness is!_ And with that, he beckoned Hiei to continue attacking the demon shinobi to create distraction so that he could destroy the demon shinobi's core located inside its left foot.

With one swing of his whip, Kurama struck the demon shinobi's left foot, cutting it to pieces in the process. The demon shinobi screamed but Hiei immediately silenced it when he cut his throat, arms and body to pieces with ease and speed.

The blood from the pieces created a puddle on the cemented ground. Hiei placed his katana back to its sheath as he looked at the scattered body pieces.

"What do these demon shinobi actually want for them to do this? I couldn't figure out their ulterior motive for this to happen," Kurama said, confusion and anger vividly etched on his face.

Hiei didn't say a word, but his expression was enough to know that he, too, felt the same way as Kurama despite the fact that he didn't actually quite know why Riya would be involved to this. He would probably get the answer from Yumi when they meet again.

Meanwhile, Riya and Yusuke were supposed to destroy the fire beam. He was done charging up his Spirit Gun on his fingertip as she was done uttering that incantation for her spell.

"You're ready, Riya?" Yusuke added without looking at her.

She nodded before she positioned both her hands facing the approaching target's direction as a glowing orb of light began to grow bigger to the size of a basketball.

"Thunder Rage Blast!"

"Spirit Gun!"

As soon as the two attacks were shouted, they released it almost all at the same time and it merged together to form one powerful beam that obviously overpowered the fire beam before entering the portal just up ahead in a seemingly straight line.

Kuwabara had no trouble destroying the source of the portal. The portal immediately vanished just after the beam entered to it and the source was destroyed.

After all that, the barrier vanished. Riya took a deep breath before collapsing to the ground.

"Riya!" Kurama called just when they heard her collapsed due to exhaustion.

He went to her and gently lifted her to have a look at her condition. He was surprised to see her shoulders and her right arm bleeding. When he checked it out from the cuts of her uniform, it would appear that there were bits of energy from the first attack powerful enough to break through Riya's power and capable of injuring her. He could also sense that her spirit energy was in a weaker level—dangerously weak, for that matter.

_She ended up like this… just to protect me…_ Kurama thought sadly as he gently carried the injured and unconscious girl before facing the others.

"We need to leave this place before any suspicions arise when they find us here," Kurama said nonchalantly before he ran.

The others later followed him. But before Hiei left, he sensed Yumi's spirit energy not far from their location. And with that, certain questions aroused his curiosity regarding Riya's condition that he might ask to the Fire Wielder later.


	21. Her Tragic Fate

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE  
**

**Her Tragic Fate**

* * *

**_Riya's apartment…_**

The gang didn't take Riya to the hospital but to her apartment room since Master Genkai was just staying in Yusuke's apartment who had just arrived shortly before the attack happened. They asked her to heal Riya's injuries and have Botan changed her clothes to a more comfortable ones. After that, they explained the situation to Koenma when the prince called them.

"I know she would be able to use it in this situation," Koenma said that puzzled the gang. "But I never realized her powers would grew weaker up to this point."

"Wait! So you're telling us that you already knew Riya having powers before all this?" Yusuke asked in a loud tone. Koenma nodded.

"But Koenma-sama, I thought Riya-chan has similar level of powers to Kurama. Like you said before, Riya-chan is already a low S class even though it was unusual for a human girl like her. How come she had her powers reached this weak level?" Botan coldn't help but to voice out her concerns for the said girl that only made the team surprised.

"Even Botan-chan knew this?" Kuwabara asked.

But before they could even react further, Genkai came out from Riya's room after half an hour or so. Yusuke stood up immediately and approached the old lady.

"How is she?" Yusuke asked, worries evident in his tone.

"Her injuries had been completely healed, so there's no need to worry."

Sighs of relief were heard afterwards. Genkai then approached the briefcase communicator where Koenma was shown.

"But if it's true that her powers are of similar level to Kurama's, then care to explain how she had become weaker like this?" Genkai asked Koenma seriously.

This caught the other's attention, as well, and now they waited for the toddler to answer. But Koenma only heaved a heavy sigh and faced them seriously.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't answer that since I don't really know how. I don't know much about her powers and where it actually originated but I'll try my best to know. By the way—" Koenma said before facing Genkai. "—how's Riya?"

"As of now, she's fine… physically. As for her powers, it's not good," she stated softly but bluntly.

_**She's not as strong and powerful as she was supposed to be,**_ Hiei and Kurama both heard that telepathic message which surprised them both. _**A lot of things happened ever since those tragedies and her heart wasn't able to bear the pain anymore. Aside from that… her powers continue to slowly devour her life force. So in lesser time… you know what will happen.**_

Kurama gritted his teeth and tightly clenched his fist upon hearing that.

_**Yumi, don't tell me she's going to die just like that,**_he pleaded but no answer came.

_**How much longer can she handle this?**_ Hiei later asked after watching Kurama's reaction.

_**I'm not sure. If her will power remained strong, then she can last for a year or two. But that's only a guess. I couldn't speculate any further,**_ Yumi answered sadly before the telepathic link vanished.

_A year or two? That can't be right…_ Kurama thought before sighing and faced Genkai. "Will it be alright if I visit Riya in her room?"

"Sure. Besides, she was already awake when I left the room," the old woman said. _It's better if you see her now before she finally makes her decision regarding __that__ issue,_ she added in her thought and sighed inwardly.

* * *

**_Several hours later…_**

Yusuke and the others already left Riya's apartment just as soon as they made sure she was alright. Even though Genkai already confirmed that all the girl's wounds were healed, Kurama insisted on staying by her side and he was only convinced to go home when Riya asked him to do so. She used Shiori as a reason and somehow, it worked.

But even though they left her sleeping, Riya woke up because of a phone call. It wasn't a surprise when she saw the name displayed on the screen.

"Hello? Riya here," she started.

"Good thing you're still awake," came out a woman's voice on the other line. "I guess you know the reason why I called you."

She sighed. "More or less, I already had an idea since the symptoms showed a while back when we were fighting two demon shinobis who suddenly attacked us from out of nowhere."

"You don't have much time left, Riya-chan," the woman said seriously but sadly. "You think you can still handle it?"

Silence filled the room before she clutched her fist on her lap. "I'm not really sure, Haruna-neesan."

The woman calling her was her sister-in-law and her late brother's wife, Miyuzaki Haruna. Hiroto and Haruna had twin daughters Misako and Sachiko—both six years old—and a son Satoshi—four years old. Those two girls were only four years old and Satoshi was two when Hiroto got killed. Right now, Haruna was the one who took over the position Hiroto was supposed to inherit—leader of the Miyuzaki clan—since she was a legal family member and the wife of Riya's brother.

"I don't know how long I will be able to handle it, Haruna-neesan. Now I'm scared of losing everything because of this… I'm scared…" Riya admitted, her voice began to crack and her hand started quivering.

Riya heard Haruna sighed on the other line.

"Whatever happens from here on, you don't have to be scared. For as long as he can accept you for who you are and can support you no matter what, don't hold back. Fight for what you think will benefit many. He'll always be there for you. I know it."

She frowned at her sister-in-law's words. "Are you sure you know what you're talking about, Haruna-neesan?"

"Yumi-chan informed me of what's happening to you there. Somehow, the demon fox was the reason why you're scared right now. Kurama-kun doesn't know he's the one holding you back to fight before your time is over. Just leave it that way for now. It might not be easy but it's for the best," Haruna said.

"It's better that he doesn't know… so that it wouldn't be too painful…" she muttered that almost tore her heart apart. Riya knew where those words would lead her no matter how she analyzed it.

And it was too painful for her to utter the answer she realized. It was as if each word would tear her heart completely.

_But I guess it's the only way… even though just a thought of it will be too hard for me to bear the pain…_

"So what do you want to do now?" Haruna asked after moments of silence, snapping her out of her musings.

Riya gave herself a few more seconds to think before she looked outside the window and gave her answer to Haruna's question.

* * *

**_Minamino residence, Kurama's room…_**

Three hours had passed since Kurama left Riya's apartment and went home because she insisted on it. But that span of time was more than enough for him to think over a lot of things bothering him after all that had happened a while back, especially the facts that he and the others discovered from Koenma and Genkai.

And to tell the truth, he didn't know what to think of first. But all of those thoughts bothering him only concerned to one person and that was Riya.

The fact that she possess considerable amount of powers had surprised him, especially when she blocked the initial attack with her bare hands and absorbing it in the process, thus saving him. Learning that the level of her powers matched his own and that it has grown weaker because of her life force being devoured slowly gave him a mild shock and extreme worry at the same time. He kept on thinking how could a 16 year old girl like her managed to go this far.

Secrets after secrets had been slowly revealed to him that concerned the girl he loved. It was making him restless, afraid and worried all at the same time and it was already frustrating him. This hasn't happened to him before, not unless if it was Shiori that was related. But in Riya's case, it was even more intense.

Something was about to happen and he knew that since series of events slowly began to unfold the answers to finish the mission. Not only about the mission but also everything about Riya, as well.

But he could only hope that it wouldn't be something that might take Riya away from him. It would be too unbearable for him is he lost Riya because of the mission. A lot of possibilities could happen and he didn't want to think of all those possibilities that might drive him crazy.

But his worst fear for his beloved would be the possibility that she would be killed either because of the demon shinobi or her life force reaching its end and her string of life would be cut soon. He hasn't prepared himself for that and he never could, no matter how hard he want to try. Just the thought of it was enough to tear his heart to pieces.

And because of that, he has to do something to let Riya know his feelings for her already. In other words, he must tell her his feelings. His true feelings.

That way, he has more reasons for him to do whatever it takes to protect the woman he loved truly…

…even if he has to deal with Death itself.

* * *

**Another chapter's done. Thank goodness!**

**The information about Riya's level of power being the same as Kurama was actually derived from what I read about Spirit Classes. So to clear things, Kurama is a low S class fox demon already in this story.**

**Review, please!**


	22. Leaving

**Okay, people! Seriously, no one is reviewing about the last chapter. But I guess I could at least understand it a bit since it's just a short chapter. Well, this one is a bit longer and it will be one of the turning points of this story. Hope you like it and please review. Enjoy reading!**

* * *

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER  
**

**Chapter 22 **

**Leaving**

* * *

The night wind blew softly as Riya continued to look at Kurama's room outside the Minamino residence that same night. After Haruna's call, she firmly stood to her decision.

The very same decision she said to Genkai as soon as she woke up after being healed by the old lady. Upon remembering that, she could not help but to allow her tears to freely streak down her cheeks as he mind pictured what happened to their conversation a few hours back…

_-Flashback-_

_Riya opened her eyes a few minutes after Genkai healed all of her injuries she acquired during the battle earlier. She winced for a few times before looking around to know where she was, only to be surprised to see and old woman with washed out pink hair she already recognized as the master of Spirit Wave Technique and Yusuke's teacher, Master Genkai._

"_Good thing you're already awake. How are you feeling?" the old lady asked with a small but sincere smile._

_She thought for a while and analyzed herself to check her condition and so far, nothing was wrong. That was when she sighed before getting up and sat on the bed then faced the old lady. "I'm alright." And then she looked down. "I guess I went overboard using my powers."_

"_And to think you would use the Spirit Summoning Arts in that weak level of spirit energy," Genkai said. "I'm surprised to know that you could do such complicated technique."_

"_That's because it has a connection to the powers during my past life, Master Genkai," she uttered without realizing what had just come out of her mouth._

_No one spoke a word after that for a few moments. And after a minute or so…_

"_It seems to me you already know who I really am…" Riya said that made Genkai looked at her seriously. "…besides the fact that I have the ability to generate lightning and electricity-based energy to be used as my attacks."_

_Genkai nodded and then spoke. "I'm surprised that you managed not to let Yusuke—and more importantly Kurama—sense your spirit energy. But even if you have the Arrow of Wind, how come your powers had decreased to such an unusual level?"_

_Riya closed her eyes before opening them again and sighed. "I don't have much time left, Master Genkai. The weapons' powers are not enough to sustain my life for long. My own life force was being devoured slowly by my powers that are too strong for my body to control since it far surpasses my physical limits. Sooner or later, I will leave Kurama without even fulfilling my promise to him." Her eyes turned sad and teary after she said the last sentence._

_The old woman could only look at the teenager with worries even though she just met her._

"_So what are you planning to do now?" Genkai asked, breaking the silence between them._

"_Honestly… I don't know," Riya answered. "I wasn't sure about that as of now. But one of the options I have in mind is to leave without them knowing."_

"_Even though it would be painful for you to do that…" It was more of a statement and Riya knew that._

_The girl clenched her fist placed on her lap. "The pain I'm going to feel afterwards is nothing compared to what's about to happen if no one was able to prevent the darkness from taking over the three realms. I know I could bear that."_

"_It seems to me you've made up your mind," Genkai said matter-of-factly._

_Riya shook her head slightly before facing the old lady. "Not yet. I still need to decide thoroughly about it."_

_Genkai stood up from the bed and walked towards the door as she left the girl thinking. But before she completely left the room, she turned around and faced Riya._

"_If you have made your decision and really stick to it, you know where to go."_

_Riya gave a small smile before bowing slightly as her thanks. And with that, Genkai left._

"_That depends on what's about to happen after all of this becomes clear," she mumbled as she looked outside the window._

_-End of Flashback-_

Riya heaved a heavy sigh after wiping the tears that streaked down her cheeks and then faced the house once again.

Since she made a decision and decided to stick with it, she might as well say her goodbyes to them as discreet as she could. She couldn't help but to smile bitterly at the thought of forever saying goodbye to the man she loved. But she was left with no choice other than to finish her mission before it was too late.

Her decision has the highest possibility of making the Spirit Detectives her enemies once they found out the truth. Though she didn't want that to happen, it would be like hoping for the impossible. And since she couldn't prevent that from happening, she has to prepare herself for that day to come. There was no other way for her to do that.

After musing for a minute or two, she turned around as she gave one last look at the house, particularly the window where Kurama's room was located.

"I guess this is where it ends, huh? I'm sorry… Kurama…" she said, saying the last words almost in a whisper but definitely enough for her to feel an unbearable pain sliced through her heart.

But no matter how painful it would be for her, it wasn't going to stop her from sticking to what she had decided. She has to do it not just for her sake but for the sake of the one she loved more than life itself…

…she needed to do it the most for Kurama's sake…

* * *

But unknown to Riya, he decision had caused commotion to many people concerned. The most evident ones were those among the team and the Legendary Weapon Wielders who were definitely confused, worried and eager to know where Riya could have possibly gone all of a sudden.

Full two weeks had passed since she mysteriously disappeared. And that was really bothered Yusuke the whole time, making him unable to concentrate in his studies (even though it wasn't really in his vocabulary to fully concentrate to anything with relation to studies) since he was worried for his cousin. Kuwabara and Keiko could feel that, as well. But there was nothing they could do about that. Even if they did plan to look for Riya, they had no idea where to start looking since she didn't leave any letter or phone call saying where she was or where could she possibly be going. Not only it worried Yusuke but it also frustrated him big time at the same time.

During break time and free time, Yusuke usually headed out to his usual spot on the roof to think of a way to locate Riya as soon as he could. For some reason, Kuwabara went along with him and talked about it. He probably knew what Yusuke was feeling before Riya's disappreance.

With nothing more left to do, Keiko and eventually Botan decided to head to the rooftop as well as soon as they crossed paths. But then an orange-haired girl with blue eyes around their age—also a student of Hanasakura Academy—stopped them. They didn't sense any danger when they saw the girl but what she said after that had definitely caught their attention and made them suspicious for the said girl.

"You're looking for Riya-ojousama, aren't you? You and the Spirit Detectives…" the girl said in a serious tone, implying that what she said wasn't a lie.

"How did you know that, Akane-chan?" Keiko immediately asked since she was close to the girl she called Akane.

Botan nudged Keiko that made the latter glanced at the blue-haired girl.

"Do you know her, Keiko-chan?"

Keiko nodded as an answer and faced the girl named Akane.

"Her name is Yanagi Akane-chan. We're not classmates but I could say we're close since she's my study partner when we met each other at the library the day I transferred. But I never thought she knew Riya-chan." Keiko then faced Akane who was still looking seriously at them but she could see hints of… sadness in the orange-haired girl's eyes. "Do you know where she is, Akane-chan? Please, tell us…"

But for some moments or so, Akane didn't say anything. Keiko could see that Akane was hesitating about something before the girl faced Keiko

"Tell Yusuke-kun and the others to meet us at Master Genkai's place. There, we'll tell you the answer," Akane said before passing by the puzzled Keiko and Botan.

"Could it be that Riya-chan is at Master Genkai's house?" Botan asked.

"If that's the case, what could she be doing there? And why didn't she tell us? What's more important is that how Akane-chan knew Riya-chan."

Botan slightly nodded. "You're right. She even called her Riya-ojousama which is too formal and respectful, I must say."

"We better tell Yusuke about this," Keiko said. They rushed to the rooftop to find Yusuke and told the boys about the information that Akane said.

Upon hearing that, Yusuke only became even more frustrated than he was earlier and they understood that.

Unbeknownst to them, Yanagi Akane was the teenage girl that Ayako called when the Light Wielder predicted the events between Kurama and Riya the night before the Rose Ball. And right now, after teleporting from the stairway to the hidden part of the park, she contacted her older brother Noboru Yanagi using a virtual computer in front of her.

"Onii-chan, I already told them where to go. But are you sure about this?" Akane asked, concern evident in her voice.

Noboru sighed before facing her. "It's Captain Yumi who ordered us to do this. Besides, I guess it's about time to finish Kurama's trial and the Spirit Detectives to know the truth. We can't do anything more with regards to that other than this. And maybe this way, Riya-sama's pain would ease a bit."

"If you say so, then. I'll just head to Master Genkai's place as soon as I'm done here." With that, the virtual screen vanished before she headed towards the center of the park.

Meanwhile, Kurama was just sitting on his seat reading a book. But for one person, it was quite obvious to know that his concentration wasn't on the book he was reading. Ayako could tell that and she knew the reason why.

It has been two weeks since Riya decided to leave without the Spirit Detectives' knowledge. Obviously, it made the wielders quite surprised when they learned that Riya was staying at Master Genkai's house for some reason. But they didn't oppose to that. For the past days, it made the Spirit Detectives a little bit frantic as to where to find her. And the wielders—after finding that out along with their mistress' reasons for leaving—just let it be that way for a while.

Kurama was somehow devastated and frustrated since Riya disappeared without words. Surprisingly, he still managed to do his job during thir movie's filming without trouble. But after all that, his mind began to be filled with so many thoughts. He wanted to find Riya but he didn't know where to start looking. It was frustrating him and he couldn't help it.

What was even more frustrating was that his fan girls didn't want to stop bugging him whenever he was on break or it was his free period. Luckily, some of his classmates would cut them off and prevent those girls from coming near him. Not just his classmates but Yusuke and the others, as well. It has been like that ever since the filming began for some reasons he wanted to find out. But he never dared asking anything about it so he just let them be.

Unknown to him, the reason he wanted to know would shed its mystery enough to lead him to a secret.

It was after that day's class when he started finding out clues to lead him to that reason. He was fixing his things to his bag and was about to head out to the Biology room when he saw his fan girls casually waiting for him outside the room. He couldn't help but to exasperatingly sigh before moving on.

What caught him surprised, though, was when one of the girls whom he knew by the name of Reina began taking him by the arm and flirted with him.

"Hey, Minamino-kun. You're going to the Biology room again, I see. I wonder if you could do some tutoring for me," Reina said seductively which made him free his arm as fast but as careful as he could in order not to appear as someone without manners. But it seemed that she wouldn't really let him go and she even hugged him. Of course, it startled him and also started to infuriate him little by little.

He was about to push Reina aside when the other door of the room slid open and from it came out Ayako and her friends Kirika and Miwako. He saw Ayako glowered at Reina as soon as the brunette saw the flirting girl clinging to his arm.

"You know, I would be very happy if you did push that insolent slut away from you, Minamino-kun," Ayako said with a smile although Kurama clearly knew it was an insult for Reina.

He thanked Ayako through his eyes but then he frowned a bit when he noticed a fleeting emotion passed through the girl's eyes. It was just a fleeting second but long enough for him to realize that there was something wrong.

What Ayako said had infuriated Reina but it didn't surprise the brown-haired girl. Because of that, Reina let Kurama's arm go (much to the fox demon's relief) before approaching Ayako, stopping in front of her.

"And what's that supposed to mean, you bitch?" Reina yelled but Ayako stayed expressionless, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "To think it would come from the former fan club president… You're such a shame. It's a good thing you quit the club."

After a few moments of straining silence, Ayako smirked before facing Reina.

"You're right. It's better that me and my friends left that club for good. I wouldn't have to deal with your straining words against the girls that Minamino-kun was hanging out with. Although that part rarely happens," Ayako said and then glanced at Kurama. "I could say I 'm glad Riya-chan came here and made me realize my mistake of going after someone who wouldn't want to look at me the way he did to her."

"That slut again? Well, she's better be dead by now after she hadn't shown herself here at the school for two weeks straight. That way, it would be easier for us."

Kurama didn't like every word Reina said and so did Kirika and Miwako.

"How cruel can you get? If there's someone who should be called a slut, it's you, Reina!" Kirika said in a slightly loud but firm tone. "You don't even know Riya-chan for you to speak like that."

"She's right," Miwako added. "Looking at you right now, I could say I'm glad I got out of that club. Then I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore."

Reina was becoming even more infuriated upon hearing the two girls defended Riya.

"Why are you like this? Ever since that slut appeared to this school, you've changed," Reina said before facing Ayako, now glaring at her. "And you who first treated her as an outcast, how come you can't do that to her now? You're not even the Kirisawa Ayako I know."

"That wasn't even the real Kirisawa Ayako, you dumbass," Ayako immediately stated, her eyes softene for a short while before becoming devoid of any emotions once again. Kurama noticed that.

Now he was really getting curious and eager to know what was going on.

"Well, that's what you projected to us for a long time and you can't make me believe you've really changed that easily. By the way, why are you doing this for that slutty bitch, anyway? Did she offer you something so you would befriend her? Yeah, that's probably be it. Knowing your family's financial situation, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the reason why—" But Reina never managed to finish her words since she was knocked over by Ayako as the brunette slapped her face hard. Reina faced her sharply and shooting death glares at Ayako. "Why did you do that for?"

"Well, you should be glad I didn't send a flying kick straight to your skull, you slutty bitch!" Ayako said fiercely and she glared at Reina. She was breathing heavily.

That was the first time Kurama, even Kirika and Miwako, had seen Ayako lost her self-control like this. Even that death glare she was now sending to Reina was completely new to them. Did Reina's words provoked Ayako to do such things? There was still something that's definitely making it all too confusing for Kurama right now.

Reina tried to stand up and she managed to do so. And even though Ayako's glare scared her, she didn't show it.

"Now you've just become barbaric like Miyuzaki," Reina said that completely made Ayako's patience reach its limits. That's why Reina was caught off guard when she received another hard slap from Ayako, knocking her down once again.

"I don't care what kind of names you call to me but I would never tolerate anything bad you said about Riya-chan. You talked as if you knew what's really going on. That only proves how brainless you are, calling yourself a chief engineer's daughter," Ayako said, each word were said firm and with ice cold anger enough to scare anybody.

"And what that makes you, her protector? Well, that makes you a slut like her, as well! What a perfect combination. Barbaric and slut. You really make such good friends."

Kurama's patience also reached its limits upon hearing those words from Reina and he was about to say something. But he didn't proceed when Ayako spoke once more.

"Say something like that about Riya-chan again and you're not getting out of this place in one piece!" she said threateningly that scared the hell out of Reina and surprised Kurama. "So better not talk about anything against her since you really don't know what's going on. You don't have any idea at all."

Miwako then approached the strained-looking Ayako.

"Ayako-chan, why are you acting like this? And your words… You talked as if you have an idea where Riya-chan is right now and what's happening to her. Tell us. Did something bad happen to her?"

But Ayako only sighed as an answer before throwing one last death glare to Reina and then left without a word.

_Kirisawa-san is not just saying that for any reason. There's something deep within those words she had just spoken earlier. Did something really happen during the previous attack here at school for her to change her ways? And why is she being protective to Riya like this?_ Kurama thought as he continued watching Ayako walk away and disappear from his sight. Because of that, instead of going to the Biology room, he decided to head out to the soccer field where Soujiro and Yukari could possibly be at the moment. He knew that the siblings might have an idea where Riya was.

After a few minutes or so, he arrived on the soccer field. But to his surprise, no soccer club members were practicing there, though he saw them going out from the locker room. Among the members who went out, he didn't see Soujiro which led Kurama to speculate that the soccer team captain might still be inside. That's when he saw Yukari entered the locker room holding a flute.

_Wait a minute! Yukari-san is holding a flute?_ But Kurama immediately shrugged away the thoughts suddenly running in his mind when he remembered that Yukari was known for being the academy's music prodigy. Of course, she would be holding a flute since it was one of her expertise besides violin and piano. But still, he couldn't help suspecting the girl about her relation to the Spirit Detective's mission. With that, he decided to listen to the siblings' conversation.

"Onii-sama, are you sure about cancelling today's practice? Wouldn't that draw suspicions among the team members?" Yukari asked in a concerned tone.

"I know you're worried, Yukari. But I don't have much of a choice. Besides, Captain said that our mistress' condition is getting worse. I can't just stand being here practicing when the person we're supposed to protect is out there bearing the pain on her own. We went through all the trouble to protect her to many extent and I can't afford to fail now. Being the secondary leader of our group, it's my job to do what it takes to protect her if it means we have to risk our lives for it," Soujiro said with determination. Yukari only looked at her brother concerningly.

"What about Kurama-sempai and the others?" she later asked that caught Kurama's attention.

"I'm not sure. But what I'm sure of right now is that Sei-chan already told Yusuke-kun or at least someone who knew him what they need to do. We could just hope that Kurama survive the trial." And then they left the locker room. Kurama managed to get away from that spot as soon as possible.

_Survive what trial?_ Kurama asked to himself as he pondered onto the words that Soujiro said. _What in the world is going on around here? First was Kirisawa-san and now Soujiro-san and Yukari-san. And who is their 'mistress' that Soujiro was talking about? How does it concern me?_

But after minutes of pondering and trying to figure out what was going on, Kurama sensed Hiei that made him look up the tree a few feet away from him.

"Koenma wants the whole team to gather at the rooftop. I think it's about our mission," Hiei said placidly. "You can deal with the siblings later."

Kurama only sighed, giving up since Hiei already figured out what was in his mind at the moment. He began walking away from that place as soon as he gave one last glance to the siblings walking away opposite to his direction.

Hiei was right. He would have time to deal with them right after the mission was over.

Unknown to the team, this would only be the start of another event enough to unfold the veil and reveal one of the shocking secrets in the entire mission.

* * *

Like what Hiei said, Koenma gathered the team on the rooftop of the school. Keiko and Botan were there, too since the two girls mentioned to the team about the words Akane had spoken a while back.

"Good thing you're all here!" Koenma said as he popped up behind Yusuke making the detective jump out of his skin.

"Will you stop doing that, Koenma? You nearly gave me a heart attack here!" Yusuke yelled as he took several deep breaths to calm himself. "Anyway, if it's about the mission, I'll pass for now. I need to go to Genkai's for me to find Riya."

"The truth is," Koenma started with a sober expression . "You are heading to Master Genkai's for the mission. Someone tipped us off that Riya and the mistress of the Legendary Weapon Wielders are currently residing somewhere in that vast land. No one knows the reason for the wielders' mistress to hide there but I'm sure you don't want Riya to get caught up with the dangers of this mission. Even though she has powers to deal with it, I don't think she could use it much longer. Some of you already knew what exactly is going on with her powers right now."

Yusuke and Kuwabara frowned at the last sentence Koenma had spoken. Hiei and Kurama remained expressionless. Botan's hands were quivering and Keiko—despite the worries she felt for Riya—managed to remain firm and it made her ask Koenma a question.

"Koenma-sama, do you have any idea about the identity of the mistres you were talking about?"

"Unfortunately, I don't. That's why I'm asking Yusuke to check it out. Keeping their mistress' identity hidden is one of the Legendary Weapon Wielders' highest priority aside from dealing with the demon shinobi. So I have the greatest feeling that you might deal with the wielders first before facing their mistress. This might not be the final battle but still, you have to be careful not to get killed. I'm entrusting you this mission, everyone." With that, Koenma opened a portal behind him. "This portal will lead you straight to Master Genkai's temple. And remember, whatever you will discover upon your arrival, be sure to prevent yourselves from killing anyone not unless it's absolutely necessary. That goes especially to you, Kurama, since I'm sure you'll be facing certain hardships later on."

All were puzzled upon hearing that. It made them look at Kurama who was somehow pondering onto it.

"It seems to me you have an idea of what will happen there, Koenma," Kurama said, more of a statement. "But don't worry. I'll remember that."

Koenma slightly smiled at that despite the presence of the pacifier on his mouth. He then faced Botan and Keiko. "You can go with them. I'm sure you want to confirm that Riya is safe."

The two girls smiled and followed Yusuke as they entered the portal. Koenma disappeared at the instant the portal closed behind him.

* * *

_**Master Genkai's house…**_

"They'll be arriving here soon enough, Riya," Genkai said as soon as she opened the door to the temple. She saw Riya facing the statue while sitting on a futon. The girl heaved a sigh before speaking.

"I'm sorry for making you deal with this, Master Genkai," Riya said sincerely. "I don't know what will happen from here on. But I'll try to make them understand the real situation. If worse comes to worst, I might use force against them just to do that."

Genkai sighed at Riya's pained determination. "So you're saying that you're willing to become their enemy if nothing is done to make them understand what's really going on?"

"If that's the only way…" the girl said determined but sad.

* * *

**I noticed that ever since I started writing this story, I haven't even properly thanked anyone who reviewed to this story. I'm really, really, really sorry about that. Anyway, before I end this chapter I want to thank those that had reviewed from the start, even though some of you reviewed just in the middle of the story. But still, I'm thankful for that.**

**So thank to these following fellows for reviewing:**

**SinisteRRRsAngel****, ****FireStorm1991****, ****Patty, ****angel, ****April Marciano****, ****Imitation Paranoid Marionette****, ****Kit-Kat-Kitsune****, ****Shadow Realm Triforce****, ****nicil, ****Takara Rose Oizumi****, ****VampireSiren****, ****Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967****, ****BookwormSars****, ****MikaUchiha666****. **

**If it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't find my drive to finish writing this story. Of course, I already finished writing this one on paper. My only problem is encoding it and posting it here. I hope you won't give up supporting this story, even though I update this on a different time interval.**

**Don't forget to leave your review. It would be much appreciated.**


	23. It All Begins Here

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 23: It All Begins Here**

In a few seconds or so, the team reached Master Genkai's house. Though they figured out that it was indeed hassle-free to use a portal to reach Master Genkai's place, they couldn't help but to feel suspicious about it. Something was wrong and they knew it. But for some unknown reasons, no one wanted to voice out their concerns as if their minds were in their own dimensions. But then it was stopped when the door suddenly slid open and Yukina came out.

Just like as usual, Kuwabara was the first to approach the ice apparition and greeted her. But they noticed that even though Yukina was smiling, her eyes looked troubled and sad,

"Yukina, is there any problem?" Botan asked.

"Are you alright? What's wrong?" Keiko added.

That was when Yukina's forced smile slowly faded and she faced the rest of the team with troubled eyes. "Master Genkai said that you should proceed to the backyard. She and the others are waiting for you there," Yukina said before turning around to lead the way.

Though puzzled as to why she was acting like that, the team followed Yukina to where they would suppose to head out, unmindful of their own heartbeats pounding louder and louder by the second. All of them could feel that something was about to happen, once they reached the backyard where Master Genkai was. They just couldn't figure it out what could it be or how would it happen.

Like what Yukina had told them, Genkai was at the backyard. But what actually gave them the shock of their lives (so far) was the fact that it wasn't only Genkai who was waiting for them. Six people—extremely familiar people, to be exact—were there having a serious conversation with the old lady.

Hisakawa Yumi, Kirisawa Ayako, Hondou Soujiro and his younger sister Yukari, Yanagi Akane and her older brother Noboru—these were the six people talking to Master Genkai. And upon seeing Yumi, it only led the whole team—inlcuding Botan and Keiko—to realize one certain conclusion. They were about to face one of the greatest battles of their mission.

But they were hoping it won't lead to that even though Koenma told them that such possibility could happen since it was a part of their mission. The one person who was immensely against the idea of fighting Genkai's guests was Kurama. Not just because of what Yumi had told him about Riya but also because of the strange actions of Ayako, Soujiro and Yukari earlier. Something was telling him that this confrontation would actually give him answers to his questions which was making him all confused right now.

"Looks like they're here," Genkai said before facing the team as soon as she turned around. She smirked at the sight of gaping and wide-eyed team looking at the six people who were supposed to be the spirit detectives' enemies. "Still in shock?"

"What's going on here, Genkai? And what do these people have something to do with this?" Yusuke confusingly asked the moment he recovered from shock.

Yumi sighed heavily and beckoned Noboru to answer the boy's question.

"The answer is already in front of you, Urameshi Yusuke," the orange-haired guy named Noboru stated. "Didn't my sister already told to your girlfriend earlier? Meet us here and we'll tell you everything. Was that hard to grasp?"

"Oh, yeah? Like I would easily believe that!" Yusuke retorted sarcastically and without warning, charged towards Noboru with his hand bawled into fists. He didn't even noticed one of the girl wielders materialized her weapon and hit him hard to his stomach. And because of that, he was sent flying backwards. Of course, most were surprised to see that. Well, it was a given since Yusuke or even the entire team realized that the girl's strike would be that powerful.

And worst of all (at least on Yusuke's part), it was a **GIRL** who sent him flying backwards with her weapon which infuriated him the most. But he couldn't do anything to counter that yet since his stomach was actually in so much pain. He didn't anticipate such a girl could give him that much pain from that attack. How did she even do that?

Whoever that girl was…

The rest of the team rushed to Yusuke's side after he finally landed about hundred meters away from where Genkai and the wielders' spot. After assuring that Yusuke was still alive (since it would be an extreme surprise if he did die from that strike), Kurama looked up to know what happened and who did that to Yusuke. But surprise hit him when he saw Ayako in front of Noboru holding… a staff?

That's right. It was a staff. But it wasn't a ordinary staff for that matter and he knew that. In fact, it was familiar to him. He did a research about the Staff of Shimmer right after it disappeared from the Light Shrine. And from that, he wasn't oblivious to the fact about its appearance and at least, parts of its powers. But the fact that it was Ayako who was wielding it was something he was definitely oblivious about. In addition to that, Soujiro and Yukari were with her, as well. And it could only mean one thing now. After all, what Ayako did to Yusuke already answered most of his questions.

But he still needed to make sure about it. And with that, Kurama stood up from crouching on one knee beside Yusuke—who was still bearing the pain—and ran towards Ayako even though Botan and Kuwabara told him not to. For some reason, Hiei was unusually quiet but Kurama didn't give much thought about that yet. Right now, all he cared about was confirmations to some of his questions and speculations.

"You're a Legendary Weapon Wielder, Kirisawa-san?" the red head could only ask after that as soon as he stopped approaching the two.

Ayako only stared at him for a short while before heaving a sigh and allowed herself to let her guard down. She knew that he wouldn't fight back, that's why she put the staff down and answered the fox demon's question.

"Yes, I am. I guess now you finally figured out how that happened," Ayako said. Kurama frowned upon seeing the sad and reluctant smile—even though it was just small—on the brunette's face. Yes, he knew the meaning behind those words that the Light Wielder had spoken. But he knew that something was still off about everything with regards to this.

"The light that engulfed the Hanasakura Academy that day when the demon shinobi attacked and also the one that transported us to different locations… It was you who did that?" Yusuke asked as he approached the wielders with Kuwabara and Keiko's assistance.

Ayako slightly nodded. "But I did that feat on impulse. I have no idea I did such a thing until Captan Yumi told me about your three-eyed demon friend ended up in the Hisakawa mansion that same day."

"What about the dimensional barriers whenever some demon shinobi attack us all of a sudden? You're also creating it?" Kuwabara asked it this time.

"As soon as I'm given the orders to do so, yes."

"You mean on Yumi-san's orders?"

"Not just Captain Yumi but also our mistress. They are the ones who knew the scale of damage that those demon shinobi could cause to this place if I didn't cast such type of barrier. More than anything, we couldn't let the humans be involved in this matter. Not just because it's our mistress' orders but also because we care for the sake and safety of this world. After all, we were born and raised in this world. It's natural for us to care about it."

After that, Yukari soon stepped forward. "And besides, we didn't come here to fight you guys. We came here to explain what's really going on right now. Please, you have to believe us."

This time, Soujiro chose to speak. "I know what we're doing in front of you right now is beyond crazy since we're criminals in some way. But we want you to believe that we didn't come here to hurt you or anyone else for that matter. And besides, if we really wanted to kill you, we should've dealt with all of you from the start. We do not intend to involve unrelated victims with our mission to protect our mistress and the three realms. In addition to that, our mistress told us not to have you get involved with the battle that should've existed between the Legendary Weapon Wielders and those wretched demon shinobis who have no qualms of destroying everything and everyone just for them to create a new world order in their own set of rules. Of course, it's something we have to prevent from happening no matter what."

"I'm sure it will be easy for them to understand your reasons for doing all this. After all, they care for this world more than anything else, as well. But are you really sure you're all ready to explain them everything?" Genkai asked seriously then glanced at Kurama and the rest of the team before looking back at her six guests.

The wielders remained silent for a few seconds or so before Yumi decided to answer the old lady's question. While comtemplating on what to say, Yusuke managed to to finally stand up on his own even though Ayako's strike on him still hurt.

"As much as possible, we're not going to use force to tell them everything since it's our mistress' orders. We have to obey that, Master Genkai," Yumi said before glancing at Hiei and then she faced the team "We're not expecting you to believe us all of a sudden and we fully understand that. At least try to listen to what we have to say. We're only asking that from you guys."

The Spirit Detectives looked at each other after hearing that from Yumi, especially when they heard the pleading in the Fire Wielder's voice. From there, they could tell that the wielders were somehow desperate in some way. But wait! If there were only five weapons out of seven disappeared from their respective shrines, the other two guests of Master Genkai couldn't possibly be the wielders just like Yumi. No one among the six guests of Master Genkai was the wielder of the Arrow of Wind and Kurama could already tell that. He could sense it, after all.

If that was the case, then who exactly were Yanagi Noboru and Yanagi Akane and what role could they have possibly played along with the wielders.

"I don't mind listening as long as Yusuke and the others are not going to fight you," Keiko suddenly said in a serious tone that surprised the team.

Yusuke approached Keiko but he never had a chance to voice out his concerns when she spoke again.

"But I want to know how Akane-chan had been involved in this. Are you one of the Legendary Weapon Wielders, too?"

_No, she's not,_ was something that Kurama said but only in his thoughts. Weird… Why couldn't he say that? It was the right answer, anyway since he could sense it. Much to his confusion, they saw Akane smiled as she shook her head as an answer. Not only him, but the rest of the team were confused when they saw that.

"To tell you the truth, I actually played a different role in this team. Same goes to my older brother, Noboru. Don't worry. I'll explain everything as clear as I can. I'm really sorry, Keiko-chan. I know I shouldn't be involving you in this… but I don't really have much of a choice here. We all are," Akane said as her eyes softened and then she looked away.

No one spoke a word after that. It wasn't a complete silence that surrounded them since the night wind blew a bit fast. The wind wasn't actually cold; just enough to cool down Yusuke's hot head. Just looking at the troubled and sad eyes of Genkai's guests was enough to convince him of the sincerity and truth in what they had said. From there, as well, they never thought that the wielders of the missing Legendary Weapons would be this dedicated for the sake of protecting the world.

Yusuke then stepped forward and stopped beside Kurama. The pain from being hit by the Staff of Shimmer subsided. Besides, he was unmindful about it.

"Alright, we'll listen. But after this, you'll let us find Riya and have you guys explain everything we don't know about this damn case," Yusuke said.

"Hey, Urameshi! You can't be serious," Kuwabara suddenly said when the thought registered in his mind. "What if they will attack us when our guard's down?"

"Then we'll just face them heads on," Yusuke answered simply. "But I know it wouldn't happen… for now. Without direct orders from their mistress to attack us, or even a reason for their cool not to be maintained, they will remain unable to hurt us, let alone kill us with just one strike of their weapons."

Unable to decide easily, Botan faced Hiei who had not spoken a word even since they arrived there.

"What do you think, Hiei?" Botan asked the fire demon. But she was surprised to see Hiei looking at a certain person and she was about to say something about her observation when he spoke.

"Since it was an order from their mistress, we might as well comply with that. Besides, Yumi's the one leading the other wielders. I know she wouldn't disobey any orders from her mistress," Hiei said nonchalantly, his gaze still fixed on the Fire Wielder.

Of course, it caught the team's attention and made them look at the fire demon disbelievingly (or incredulously would have been the perfect word).

"What?" Hiei asked innocently.

"Are you sure you're not sick, Hiei?" Yusuke said sarcastically, but Hiei just shrugged. He didn't want to talk about it anyway.

But to his surprise, Yumi answered Yusuke's question.

"No, he's not. He only knows how we live our lives for the sake of fulfilling our duties as the warriors of our mistress. He's just simply stating that."

Botan raised her hand that caught the Fire Wielder's attention. "Umm… Will it be okay if I ask something to you?"

"Sure, I don't mind. Of course, as long as I can answer it," Yumi answered.

"When we first met you, you were just about the same height as Yusuke and your hair was shorter. Your eyes were of a different color, too. It was green, if I'm not mistaken. But now, you're as tall as Hiei and your hair grew longer. Your eyes turned purple. It's just an observation, though. Sorry I asked. But does your height fluctuate sometimes? And do you usually change your appearance?"

Though Botan initially thought that asking something like that would make the Fire Wielder angry, the others thought otherwise. Yumi sighed before answering with a small smile.

"When you first met me, I was actually using a transformation magic in order to appear a bit different, almost human. You see, I'm actually a hanyou—half human and half fire demon—and now I'm using my true form with the purpose of finding my father in the Demon World. What you can see right now is my true form."

"Now that explains it," Kurama said. "I know something's wrong about you when you first talked to me."

"Maybe it's better if we should get inside. It's getting cold out here and in case you didn't know, I easily get sick when I exposed myself to cold environment for a long—" But Yukari abruptly stopped talking when she sensed something foreboding that sent an icy chill down her spine.

The wielders, especially Soujiro, noticed that.

"Yukari, are you alright? What's wrong?" Soujiro asked worriedly.

Though her eyes widened upon sensing it, Yukari managed to look at her teammates.

"Captain, something's wrong happening to our mistress. The sound of her actually getting hurt… I heard it. If I'm not mistaken, she was pierced with something sharp but I couldn't tell what did."

That information made them quite shocked, not only the wielders but the others, as well. Before they could even leave the place to go and find their mistress, they noticed Pu (in his bird form) left and flew away heading to a certain direction. Kurama later sensed the spirit energy of the Arrow of Wind in use.

"Tell me something, Yumi," Kurama said. "Is the one who has the Arrow od Wind your mistress?"

Yumi nodded but she frowned when she noticed the red head's strained look. "Are you alright, Kurama?"

Kurama shook his head slightly, worrying the team. But before they could say anything, they noticed him ran towards a certain direction and that was to follow Pu.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Somewhere in the vast land that Genkai owned, Riya was standing there with her eyes closed. She felt the gentle wind blew forth. It was calming and she liked that. But that calming feeling didn't last for long. In swift movement, she snapped her eyes open and turned her head sharply to the west. An ominous feeling was lurking along with the calmly blowing wind. Now it was heading towards her direction… FAST!

And that ominous feeling was something she loathed the most.

The same ominous feeling belonging to the demon shinobi's dark aura.

Riya's eyes narrowed as she waited for her enemies to get her and hurt her… just like how it has always been ever since the death of her father eight years ago. Her father's death triggered many events to unfold in her life one after another. One of them was the appearance of the Wielder's Crystals named the Topaz Heart and the Garnet Heart giving powers to her and Yumi respectively. Their duty as a Legendary Weapon Wielder started setting her fate in motion that lasted for eight years now.

"Arrow of Wind… come forth to your master…" she uttered.

A yellow rune circle was soon conjured beneath Riya as helixes of wind surrounded her before the silhouette of a glowing long bow appeared on her hand. A few seconds later, the glow shattered and revealed the silhouette's true form.

The helixes of winds continued to surround Riya as she positioned herself to fire the glowing arrow to her approaching target. The arrow started crackling with electricity as she pulled the string of the bow. The bow soon glowed in yellow light.

"5… 4… 3… 2…" she counted in whisper as her eyes narrowed further. It was only a matter of time before the arrow had fully gathered energy required for that one attack.

And then she sensed it approaching even faster. In 30 meters…

…20 meters…

…10 meters…

…5…

"Lightning Arrow Shower!" And with that spell, she released the arrow from the bow. The arrow soon multiplied into hundreds of it and struck the demon shinobis approaching with it. The shot from the arrow was fatal in just one strike, that's why Riya used it to take down the wretched demon shinobis who badly wanted to kill her.

From what she could count from her position, more than 30 demon shinobis was struck down by her arrow's attack. She couldn't help sighing exasperatingly at that discovery.

_And now they're attacking in large number… even though this wasn't the final battle yet…_ she thought in distress as she dematerialized her weapon. It wasn't long before the helixes of winds surrounding her and the rune circle disappreared, as well.

However, doing so only made her realize the mistake she had done. But then, she realized that mistake too late.

Before she could even turn around, she involuntarily let out an agonizing scream of pain when an arrow lodged into her shoulder deep. It made her collapse to her knees before she could even help it. Despite the pain rushing throughout her entire body, she tried her best to face her perpetrator who did that to her. However, her vision started to blur not just because of the pain but also from the arrow that started to drain her energy the moment she felt that arrow delved deeper to her shoulder.

_But I can't let them win like this…_ Riya thought in pain as she tried to stand up despite the pain starting to intensify and her energy started to whittle away little by little. _If I die here, I won't be able to to protect what is important to me. This isn't the time for me to leave yet and face King Yama's judgment. Whatever happens, I can't die here!_

With that resolve, Riya only thought of one thing to do. An immensely and brightly glowing magic circle appeared beneath her, indicating that she was about to release a powerful spell despite her energy dropping intensively up to that weak level already. But she had to do it. Her hand that held her wound earlier lowered down to her side. As she panted a little heavy, she closed her eyes and concentrated. As she did so, a rune loop encircled around Riya's wrist. This time, the loop was silver in color and it was about three inches thick. The loop continued to encircle her wrist, followed by her hand beginning to conjure a silver and yellow colored glowing orb. She slowly raised her hand hand to her side as she faced the direction where her opponent fired the arrow that struck her.

The jolts of pain she was feeling kept on giving her too much discomfort and she couldn't hold it in much longer. But she did her best to fight down the pain as she prepared that one fatal attack to take down those demon shinobis. And then, not too much later, three rune loops formed in front of her that acted as target rings and it would be where she'd launch her attack. Those rune loops that formed as rings were placed in front of her in certain distances and order—two of which were just the same diameter while a larger loop was placed in between those two smaller loops. The orb glowed brighter before Riya thought that the power needed for that attack was enough.

As if a strong force surged inside of her, she placed the orb in front of her in one full force and she shouted the attack.

"Twin Thunder Blast!"

The orb broke apart and immediately released a large full beam surrounded with silver and yellow crackles of lightning upon shouting the spell. Riya released it to the southwest direction and it came to the enemies like tidal wave that they didn't even have time to retreat far enough. As soon as the beam came in contact with the target, they immediately blasted to atoms. The beam was extremely powerful that the power used to conjure it caused her too much pain in which she couldn't handle anymore.

It was recklessness on her part to use such attack when she knew fully well that her powers were not as strong as it was supposed to be. She was getting weaker and weaker… and sooner she would die. One more mistake like that and it would be the end of her. Nonetheless, she guessed it was for the better. Dying sooner would probably ease the pain she was feeling all this time. It would only provide an escape to this destiny of hers. She was destined to die in the end, anyway.

Feeling the last of her strength drifting away from her, it wasn't a surprise for her to find herself collapsing to her knees on the bloodstained grass field. She looked at it with blank eyes… The field was stained with her blood… The blood that further took all of her strength to continue doing what she needed to do. She had been fighting for a long time…

Perhaps this was the time to stop forcing herself to fight.

Her mind started turning black as she felt herself dropping to the ground.

_I guess this is the end… huh?_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

No one exactly knew among the team what Kurama was thinking as he followed Pu towards the direction it was heading but they decided to follow him. For some reason, they noticed that Kurama was running faster than he usually does, as if there was a force driving him to do that. It was at tha time that all of them felt a powerful energy signature coming from the direction that Kurama was heading to.

"Hey, Kurama! Wait up, will you? You're going way ahead of us!" Yusuke yelled as he tried to keep up with Kurama.

"Sorry, Yusuke. But I'm alright. I just need to go ahead of you," Kurama replied without looking at those people behind him as he continued to run. He didn't know why but he has the strongest feeling that he would find Riya somewhere where Pu was heading, along with the wielders' mistress. The powerful energy signature earlier made him think of that. It was a feeling unlike any other yet at the same time, it felt so familiar.

When he looked up, he saw Pu landed several meters from his spot so he ran even faster even though his mind and body were already screaming to stop. Well, he did stop—because of utter shock when he saw the familiar figure lying on the green grass clutching her bleeding shoulder. Without him knowing, his feet moved to approach the girl who was heavily breathing as she seemed to bear the pain from the wound on her shoulder.

"Riya…" Kurama uttered when he finally had a close look on the girl, along with the realization that hit him upon seeing that it was only Riya who was there.

Riya slowly opened her eyes when she heard a familiar voice and then looked at that person. She smiled weakly when she saw Kurama worriedly looking at her.

"I'm glad… you made it here," Riya said despite feeling extremely weak because of her wound. "Sorry… I'm really sorry…"

That was when Kurama rushed to her side and pulled her body to his arms as careful as he could not to cause more bleeding. His arms were quivering while doing that.

When the others arrived, they were surprised to see Kurama and Riya together underneath the wings of Pu protecting them somehow. Now only that, they saw the scattered bodies of demon shinobis (approximately 35 in number) on the field as the blood from them stained the green grass.

"Don't tell me she took them all down…" Yusuke mumbled as he continued to look around.

"Seems like it…" Noboru said.

Keiko noticed Riya's bleeding shoulder and an odd-looking arrow poking out from it. That was when she remembered Yukari's words when the Sound Wielder sensed a foreboding feeling a while back.

"_Captain, something's wrong happening to our mistress. The sound of her actually getting hurt… I heard it. If I'm not mistaken, she was pierced with something sharp but I couldn't tell what did."_

Upn remembering that, Keiko gasped at the thought that entered her mind followed by covering her mouth to muffle the sound that was about to come out from it. But in the end, she failed, making the others focus their attention to her.

"What's wrong, Keiko-chan?" Botan asked.

"Riya-chan… is the Legendary Weapon Wielders' mistress. And at the same time, she's the wielder of the Arrow of Wind," she uttered softly but it was more than enough to make the team (except Hiei) completely shocked.

"You're kidding… right? That can't be…" Yusuke managed to say in disbelief despite the shock he felt.


	24. Revelations And The First Trial

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 24: Revelations And The First Trial**

Ayako immediately ran towards Kurama and Riya. The other wielders later followed her. Hiei just walked a few steps away from the others when he noticed Kurama's eyes holding back his tears for the girl in his arms. Keiko and Botan later followed the wielders. Yusuke and Kuwabara didn't leave their spot.

"Hey, Urameshi. Are you alright?" Kuwabara asked.

"I don't know…" Yusuke replied. "I don't know what to think anymore."

"We better check on Riya-chan's condition. I would kill a million demon shinobi if something bad happen to your cousin even more." With that, Kuwabara proceeded.

Riya was still breathing heavily, clutching her wounded shoulder. Kurama held her hand before Noboru pulled the arrow poking out of the girl's shoulder. Though she didn't want to, Riya screamed in pain as soon as the arrow was removed. After that, Noboru studied the bloody tip of the arrow, only to discover something disturbing.

"We need to create an antidote as soon as possible before she dies from the poison of this arrow," Noboru said before he destroyed the arrow by burning it using the fire emitted from his hand.

"But Onii-chan, the plant needed to create the antidote isn't found here and you know that," Akane said. "Don't tell me we have to go back to the Demon World just to get it?"

"What kind of plant was it?" Kurama asked upon hearing what Akane said. Noboru looked at him.

"It's a flower found only in Demon World that looked similar to forget-me-nots. Its extract is the antidote to the poison inside Riya-sama's body," Noboru explained.

Kurama looked at the still heavily breathing Riya with worries in his eyes. That was when he planted a seed into the ground and using his demon energy, he let the seed grow into a plant and allowed a flower to bloom from it. Akane and Noboru looked at him with awe since Kurama managed to grow the flower they were talking about.

Like what Noboru said, it looked like a forget-me-not, only silver in color and larger than the regular forget-me-not.

"Is this the flower?" Kurama asked. Noboru nodded before Akane plucked the flowers from its branches. "Will that be enough to make an antidote for the poison?"

"Yes. But how did you—"

"I'll explain later. Right now, we need to take Riya out of here," the read head said as he carried Riya bridal-style. He knew that the girl was already sleeping but he also knew that her pulse was starting to faint, making him start to panic.

They all headed back to Genkai's temple and let Riya sleep in the room she was using for two weeks now. A few minutes later, Akane arrived with the antidote. They let Riya drink it and allowed her to rest fully for the antidote to take effect.

After that, Genkai made them all go to the living room since the old woman figured out that an extremely serious conversation was about to take insisted on staying beside Riya to take care of her.

Much to the team's surprise, Koenma was already waiting for them there. They noticed that the wielders had a solemn look on their faces, increasing the already tensed atmosphere among they as they all seated.

"Alright! Explanation time. Care to tell me what's really going on here? And how does Riya became involved in this? To think she would be your mistress…" Yusuke started but the wielders remained silent.

It took a while for one of them to break the silence. Yumi did the explanation once she was done preparing her mind for it.

"All of this began approximately 6 years ago… Two years after Katsuo-sama's death," Yumi started.

"Katsuo-sama? You mean Riya-chan's father?" Botan asked. The wielders nodded.

"That was when Riya and I discovered that each of us possessed the Wielder's Crystal as a proof of our identity to become masters of the Legendary Weapons."

Keiko and Kuwabara seemed confused upon hearing that.

"Wielder's Crystal? What's that?" Kuwabara asked, confusion evident on his voice and his face.

No one answered, though. Instead, the four wielders (Yumi, Ayako, Soujiro, and Yukari) each began materializing four beautiful crystals on the palm of their hands. Each of which has different colors has a representation of the powers they possessed.

"We were born with these crystals inside of us," Soujiro said and then made the crystals vanished. "But we only found that out recently, when the weapons chose us to become their masters. These crystals were also the source of our powers. So technically, these crystals are the 'hearts' of the Legendary Weapons—one they could not live without at all cost."

"But only a few people knew the real reason why the weapons from their respective shrines. It's not because they were stolen but because those weapons had finally located their masters that would treasure them and use their powers to their full potentials," Yukari added. "Once they had chosen their masters, the weapons would only follow their master's orders and no one else."

"Each of the Legendary Weapons has a respective Wielder's Crystals to identify," Ayako said. "The Dragon Sword of F\lame had chosen Captain Yumi since she has the Garnet Heart. As for me, I was chosen by the Staff of Shimmer for being the bearer of the Amber Heart. Soujiro-kun has the Sapphire Heart, making him the wielder of the Scythe of the Deep Waters and Yukari-chan is the wielder of the Flute of Melody since she has the Quartz Heart. These crystals are said to be the proof of our identities as the legitimate Legendary Weapon Wielders."

The team took a short while to grasp the information that they found out.

"What about Riya? What's the name of the crystal that she has?" Koenma asked after a while.

"It's called the Topaz Heart," Noboru answered. "Also know as the compressed force of the wind element."

No one spoke a word for a while that made the surroundings somewhat tensed (again) and it lasted for a few moments before Kurama decided to break the silence.

"If that's the case, then how come Koenma didn't know the fact about the weapons choosing their masters? And why didn't you tell us about this earlier?"

"It took us a long time before we finally had the chance to tell you the truth. Like what we said earlier, only a few people knew the reason for the weapons' disappearances. Unfortunately, Koenma-sama isn't among those few individuals. As for not telling you about this earlier, it's our mistress' orders," Yumi said. "A lot of things happened to her that she wasn't able to bear the pain anymore. Especially now that she's…" she paused. "…she's dying. And we can't even prevent it."

"_She's dying…"_ Those words echoed in their minds repeatedly and it came as a shock to Yusuke.

"What do you mean she's dying?! That's not true, right? She can't be!" Yusuke yelled but it didn't even made the wielders flinch to that.

Yukari sighed before looking at them with sad eyes. "We kept on saying the same thing over and over—that it's not true, that it can't be happening. But it's no use. Even though we possess some of the greatest weapons from the ancient times, we can't even do anything to prevent her upcoming death. No matter how powerful we are right now, it wasn't enough for us to keep her alive for long. The powers inside of her was too much for her body to bear since it far surpasses her physical limits."

All Yusuke could do was to clench his fists tightly as he gritted his teeth because of anger and frustration. His knuckles was turning white as his fists tightened even more. But he was unmindful of that. Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara and Koenma could only look down with sad eyes, knowing they couldn't do anything at all. Hiei, Kurama and Genkai remained expressionless since they already knew the fact about Riya's true condition.

That was when Keiko remembered something and faced Akane.

"Akane-chan, you said that you play a different role here. What exactly do you mean by that?" Keiko asked.

It took Akane a while to answer Keiko's question as the team waited in anticipation for her response. After a short while of hesitating, Akane heaved a heavy sigh before facing the team.

"Eight years ago, back in Hokkaido, my brother and I got lost in the Human World upon discovering a small portal that sucked us in. We have no idea what to do back then since it was a completely different world to us. At that time, a witch named Erithea found us. She said that she could help me and my brother go back to the Demon World—but at the cost of a certain price," Akane explained solemnly.

"You mean you're not really born here? You're from the Demon World?" Kuwabara asked.

"It wasn't that hard to grasp, Kuwabara," Hiei replied before facing Akane. "But what was that 'certain price' that this witch was talking about?"

"A life," Akane answered immediately that made them quite shocked. "She wanted me to take a life of a human as a sacrificial act of some sort."

When Koenma finally managed to absorb what the girl was saying, that was when he realized something.

"Eight years ago? Don't tell me… that human you killed was Miyuzaki Katsuo?" Akane nodded gravely as her eyes tightly closed.

"What?!" Yusuke exclaimed since he couldn't say anything else. Without warning, he stood up with his hands clenched into fists. But before he could even do something to Akane, Soujiro materialized the Scythe of the Deep Waters and aimed it to Yusuke. It was later followed by orange-colored energy ropes materializing from a magic circle conjured beneath him and bound him almost immediately. "Let me go!"

"I will let you go if you cool down your head a little bit," Ayako said. "We all know this came as a surprise to all of you but please let her explain her side."

Yusuke grumbled and sighed before he sat down. That was when Ayako released the binding ropes from Yusuke but the Scythe of the Deep Waters was still aimed at him.

"You can let it go now, Soujiro-kun," Akane calmly said to the blue-haired boy.

"But Sei…"

Akane smiled at Soujiro. "It's alright. I'm already used to getting that as an initial reaction from those people who didn't know the full story."

Though hesitant, Soujiro decided to follow what Akane said.

"Sei? Is that your real name, Akane-chan?" Keiko asked after things had calmed down for a bit.

Akane nodded. "It's my demon name, to be exact."

"What about your brother's demon name?"

"My demon name is Ren," Noboru answered.

"Then both of you are demon shinobi. Is that it?" Botan stated. This time, it was Noboru who nodded.

"For eight years, we followed Erithea's orders of killing humans as a part of a sacrificial act," Noboru continued Akane's story. "Among those humans that I had killed, one of them was Riya-sama's brother, Miyuzaki Hiroto."

Another collection of gasps were heard in that room, mostly belonging to the team and Koenma.

"When we decided to leave Erithea, that wretched woman put a curse on my sister. It almost took her life if it wasn't for Riya-sama's intervention. She was the one who saved my sister."

Kurama frowned. "Saved her? How? Did she find out who you are and what you have done?"

"Yes," Akane responded. "When we killed her father and her brother, she witnessed them all. For some reasons, even though we managed to kill them, we couldn't kill her. It's like we allowed her to know our identities as her family's perpetrators. It was two months ago when she finally found us but it wasn't what she had initially expected. I was so weak at that time and was about to die because of the curse that was put on me. As for Onii-chan, he was devastated knowing he couldn't do anything to save me. Even though Riya-ojousama's main goal was to avenge her father and brother's deaths, in some way she had a change of heart. She dispelled the curse inside of me using her own powers. That was when we asked her why she saved me and spared our lives from her vengeance. The only thing she said was that because… she doesn't want Onii-chan to feel what Riya-ojousama had felt when she lost those she cared about if my brother would lose me. At that time, my brother and I vowed eternal servitude to her as a repentance for that sin. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here by now."

All of them fell silent after that. When Hiei looked at Yumi for some reasons, he saw her frowning and looked like she was in deep thinking.

That was when the blonde Fire Wielder looked at him.

"There's something that I couldn't quite understand with Sei-chan's story," Yumi said.

"Something you couldn't understand? Which part?" Kuwabara asked.

"The part where Riya treated Sei and dispelled the curse from the demon shinobi's body," Kurama said placidly. He, too, couldn't understand that part.

"Would someone care to explain what's going on?" Genkai inquired that snapped them from their thoughts trailing deeper.

But the female demon shinobi somehow figured out what was wrong with her own story. And so, she decided to explain their further discovery to the rest of them.

"A few days after I was healed, Onii-chan and I decided to investigate what was going on for Riya-ojousama to possess such vast amount of powers that enabled her to heal me and remove the curse. That was when she told us the truth behind that," Akane said seriously.

The others waited for Akane to continue but instead, it was Noboru who did it since he noticed that the rest were holding their breath in anticipation.

"Riya-sama was able to remove my sister's curse because she used the powers of the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem residing inside of her."

That information came as another shock to them, particularly to those who knew the facts about the gem namely Kurama, Hiei, Yumi, Genkai and Koenma.

"You're kidding, right?" Yumi could only say because of extreme disbelief.

"Elements of what? What is that?" Kuwabara asked, slightly confused. "Alright! Will someone please tell us what's going on?"

Genkai sighed after recovering from shock. "So that explains about her body being unable to hold so much power."

"But how could that happen?" Kurama asked out of frustration and slight confusion. "How could a powerful tool like that reside within her and not tell us about it?"

"Seriously, you're all losing us here," Soujiro said before facing Yumi. "Captain, what's going on? And what is that gem that Ren was talking about?"

But instead of Yumi, it was Koenma who decided to answer the Water Wielder's question. Still, worries came before that since Koenma had a strained look on his face.

Not only Koenma, Kurama and Hiei have them too.

"The Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem is a powerful gem that has existed since the ancient times. According to some accounts recorded, it had served as the greatest of all holy weapons that has been around for a long time. And by a 'long time', I mean since the old era. To be specific, it has first existed more that 500, 000 years ago."

"Woah! That sure is old," Kuwabara commented.

"During that era, the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem was believed to portray as possibly the single most powerful artifact in the three realms since it was able to focus the energy of its wielder to perform magnificent feats. Though by far, the only known feats that the gem had performed were healing or resurrection, ability to control the four elements and travel through dimensions with ease. But there was one legend which says that the gem could serve as a double-edge power because of possessing tremendous energy capable of reviving an entire world from ruins or destroy an entire realm," Koenma continued.

But Yumi knew there was still something missing with that story since it always go some way opposite to it; much like a cause-and-effect relationship.

"But that feat could come at a greater price, right?" Yumi said in a statement than a question.

Koenma sighed before nodding and faced the Fire Wielder. "How did you figure that out?"

"It always go that way when it comes to possessing tremendous amount of power," Yumi simply answered that made them sweatdropped.

But then they knew she has a point.

"The gem possesses tremendous powers, but the strain of using such power often costs the wielder his life as the power actually derives from the life force of the wielder. The wielder's life force connects directly with the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem and exerting too much of that power will kill him," Koenma further explained.

"No way…" Ayako murmured in surprise upon hearing that story. The fact that Riya possessed that extremely powerful gem inside of her was enough explanation why she was suffering. Her life force was being devoured by the gem as an additional source of power.

"If that's the case, then why does Riya-senpai kept on using it knowing she'll be killed?" Yukari asked.

"She wanted to finish the battle as soon as she can to prevent the past from repeating itself."

The voice who said that was quite unfamiliar to them so they looked around only to be surprised when they saw the door slide open and revealed a person undeniably familiar to them.

"Ryuuzaki-sensei?" Ayako mumbled in disbelief. "What are you doing here? And how did you—"

"The fated battle is about to come," Miss Ryuuzaki said that stopped Ayako from continuing. "But Riya-chan's future remained clouded with images of a past."

"What was that supposed to mean? And how does that connects to my cousin?" Yusuke asked irritably since he was getting all too shocked and confused already.

Miss Ryuuzaki sighed audibly before she sat.

"The reason why Riya-chan kept on using the gem's power was because she has to gather the energy needed for her to summon the weapon where the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem actually came from."

No one said a word but Kurama and Hiei frowned at the story. They waited for the teacher to continue.

"The Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem was, in fact, the main shard of the Crystal Spear. And the seven wielders were also born with the other seven shards of that same spear, though the energies from the shards were the only needed one to summon that weapon."

"Alright, this turned out to be even more confusing than ever," Botan commented as she scratched the back of her head.

"You can say that again," Yusuke agreed, still maintaining a serious expression despite the confusion.

"But how does that relate to us?" Soujiro asked.

Miss Ryuuzaki looked at the four wielders seriously before speaking.

"The four of you were not only born with the Wielder's Crystals but also with the shards of the Crystal Spear, as well. These shards were called the Dragon Gems."

At that point, Koenma remembered some details about the legends concerning the wielders.

"Does that made them have the SS class as ranks in powers?" the prince asked the teacher.

Miss Ryuuzaki nodded. "That's right. But only one person was known to possess that rank. As of now, none of the current wielders surpasses the upper S rank since their powers hadn't evolved yet. They still need to summon the energies required for that. The wielders' ranks could be as low as upper A class and as high as the upper S class, depending on their energy's evolution," the teacher explained. "By far, the only person known to have possessed the SS class rank was the first wielder of the Crystal Spear. She was known by the name of Celeste, a deity that has lived more that 500, 000 years ago in a realm located at the borderline of Demon World and the Spirit World. But an unexpected cataclysmic event killed her and separated the Crystal Spear into eight different shards."

"That was the first and the last time the Crystal Spear had made an appearance," Kurama added.

"Great… Now our work became even harder and annoying," Hiei said in slight annoyance but Kurama and Yumi knew there was more to that.

When no one spoke another word, most of them just heaved a sigh.

"So what now? Does the mission ends here?" Kuwabara asked, breaking the silence and the tensed atmosphere in the process.

It took a while for Koenma to say something regarding that, though the gang understood that somehow since everything about the orginal mission plan turned upside-down. Now that the real reason about the weapons' mysterious disappearance had been revealed, it would take even greater work to change the mission plan if it should come to that.

But a minute or two had gone by and still, Koenma hadn't come up with a solid decision. That time, Yumi said something.

"I told you, I don't mind being apprehended by these Spirit Detectives. But before that would happen, I still have a mission to finish before anything else. Besides finding my father using the Dragon Sword of Flame, the rest of us still need to go after the demon shinobi and kill them along with Erithea. That way, we'll be able to prevent another senseless sacrificial act."

"It's not only the wielders who would do that, Yumi," Koenma said seriously afterwards, making their attention focus to the prince.

"Hn. I already know where this leads," Hiei said before looking the room.

Kurama and Yumi sighed inwardly towards Hiei's action but both of them knew it was the three-eyed demon's own way of approval since he now knew what was really going on with the mission.

"And care to tell us what the heck do you mean with what you said, Koenma?" Yusuke asked.

"You'll be joining with the wielders to prevent Erithea from doing another senseless sacrifice and stop whatever evil plans they have for this world," Koenma said.

"Her ultimate goal is to acquire the Legendary Weapons in order to rule the three realms," Noboru said. "So I guess we'll be needing all the help we could get."

"I won't mind helping, if it would mean I could protect Riya as long as I can," Kurama said, determined.

Yusuke faced the fox when he heard that. This was one of the few times he had seen Kurama so determined to do something no matter what it takes to do it. But that didn't made him surprised at all.

The only thing he has to do was to know the reason why.

But before Yusuke could utter his concerns, Yukina came rushing in to the room with a distressed expression on the ice maiden's face. Yukina was slightly panting but she managed to say what was wrong.

"Riya-san has disappeared!" Yukina announced in a panic.

"What?!" almost all of the people exclaimed when they heard that.

Yusuke stood up and approached Yukina. "But how could that happen? Weren't you with her?"

The ice maiden shook her head and eyed them sadly. "I don't know what really happened. I went out of the room for a minute or so and when I came back, she's gone. I tried to look around but there's no sign of her. Her bed, though, have drops of bloods. I tried to look for blood trails but there was none. I'm sorry. I was supposed to look after her but—"

But it was abruptly stopped when Yukari said something.

"It's no one's fault, Yukina-chan. I bet she needed to cool down her head for a bit since she's most likely pissed off right now." It was then followed by a small smile before her face went sober. "But I'm sure she hadn't left far from here due to the pain from her injury."

Keiko faced the said girl. "How did you know that, Yukari-chan? Can you sense her?"

Yukari shook her head. "Not really. My auditory sensation had gotten a lot stronger than usual. It actually became a lot sharper for some reasons."

"That's because the power of the Dragon Gem inside of you began to surface without you knowing it," Miss Ryuuzaki said. "Hearing any kind of sound from a certain distance and direction is one of the powers of the Dragon Gem called the Music of the Indigo Dragon Gem."

Yusuke faced the teacher before sitting back to his seat. He crossed his arms in front of his chest before looking at Miss Ryuuzaki.

"Alright. Since you already mentioned that Dragon Gem thingy, can you tell us more about it?" Yusuke said with a slightly grumpy look on his face.

"Before that, don't you think you have to help your cousin first?" Genkai reminded sarcastically.

"Well, I was going to but how am I supposed to do that if I don't know what's really going on with her?!" Yusuke yelled because of having a hard time to decide which would go first in his priorities. "Besides, I still wanted to know how long will Riya be able to handle all of that. Knowing this and that in just a short while, my thoughts are getting mixed up right now."

Before anyone could react on that, they saw Kurama stood up immediately and left the room in a hurry.

"It would appear that you're not the only one with thoughts getting mixed up. Unlike you, however, he knows what to prioritize first… as dictated by his heart and emotions. He was worried and he needed to know the truth from the person involved. Only Riya-chan could provide the answer he needed," Ayako commented followed by an exasperated sigh before she stood up and faced the others. "We need to follow Minamino-kun before something else happens and I don't want either of them to kill each other."

They were all surprised with what Ayako said.

"K-kill each other? What do you mean, Ayako-chan?" Botan asked.

"Don't tell me…?"

Ayako nodded slightly, saying that what Soujiro couldn't tell was about the same thing they had in mind.

"The first trial is already set to begin."

**-x-x-**

Though the gang didn't have any idea about the "first trial" that Ayako was talking about, they didn't asked her since they already rushed outside to check on Kurama and find Riya, as well. Even if they didn't know where to start looking, they still tried. Hiei tried to help by using his Jagan Eye but to no avail since the location was somehow barred by some mysterious and powerful force. It was a force that he had never felt before. Judging it from what the wielders told them a while back, it was no doubt that Riya could conjure such vast amount of force just to create a barrier like that.

Well, Kurama actually found Riya faster than he thought but it wasn't what he was expecting. He found her near the cliff, looking sadly at the silver moon. He saw her eyes even sadder now than when he first met her. But he couldn't figure out the reason for her sadness at that time. All he wanted to do was to console her even though he didn't know what made her sad like that.

But when he was about to step towards her, he saw her slowly turned around and faced him with the coldest expression he had ever seen from her. It made him quite surprised to see that.

"R-Riya?" Kurama called out despite the surprise. He didn't get an answer, though.

That was when he took a few steps towards her but then again, he was stopped to his tracks when Riya spoke.

"Just stay where you are!" Riya ordered coldly that he felt as if those words pierced through his heart.

It was unexpected for him to be treated that coldly by the woman he loved. _But why would she do that? Did something happen again?_ Nonetheless, he already knew it wouldn't be answered if he wouldn't ask her. But before he could do that, he saw her materialized a beautiful spear with its blade made of crystal. His eyes widened at the sudden realization that had struck his mind upon seeing that. _Don't tell me… that's the legendary Crystal Spear…_

"I guess you already know what this spear is," Riya said, her voice was cold as ice.

Undeniably, it hurt him. But he couldn't do anything.

"Riya, what's the meaning of this?" Kurama asked but all he could see was a pained expression on Riya's face.

Riya's grip on the spear's handle tightened before facing Kurama. Before she knew it, she was already charging towards him that caught the fox demon off-guard. Her body stiffened when she saw Kurama bleeding because of the injury he received from her spear when she struck him. He didn't even defend himself from her attack. Nonetheless, she remained expressionless to hide what she really felt.

As for Kurama, he didn't quite know the reason for not defending himself from Riya's attack. He received quite a deep injury to his side when Riya struck him there. Despite his vision starting to blur, he raised his head and looked at the girl. Though her face was emotionless at the initial glance, he managed to see a fleeting emotion passed by her eyes.

"I told you to stay where you are, yet you didn't listen," Riya said, her eyes now devoid of any emotions.

"Why are you doing this, Riya?" Kurama asked despite the pain from his injury. "Please, Riya. I need to know why."

"What for? You're bound to die from the blade of this spear, anyway," she answered that shocked him. "Now that you know the existence of this spear, and the battle that should've existed only between the demon shinobi and the wielders is about to begin, it's better if we just end everything that we had together. That way, it wouldn't be too hard for me to continue and finish this before it would kill me."

But Kurama didn't move from his spot. He was still breathing heavily, bearing the pain of his injury. He didn't know the reason why Riya would say such a thing but he knew it was something important. A lot of things had already happened and one of them could've provoked her to do this to him. He needed to know that. And so, he tried to stand up despite his injury.

Riya tightened her grip to the spear even more when she saw Kurama stand up. He hands began to quiver without knowing as she tried to remain cold and expressionless while facing the red-haired guy pretending to be ruthless. But even though it killed her knowing that she had hurt Kurama, she was left with no choice but to do what she had to do. She has to do whatever it takes to make Kurama hate her and avoid her in order for him not to be involved with her anymore. It was the only way for her to make sure that he would be safe… despite the fact that it would make them enemies.

_I'm sorry, Kurama… I'm really sorry but I have to do this. So please… Just stay away. It's for your own good…_ She thought painfully beneath that cold expression of hers. Unknown to her, she began showing some signs of hesitancy that Kurama still managed to notice. And that was when he finally figured out that this was just an act to keep him away.

Hurting him and eventually leading him to hate her in order for him to avoid her—that was her plan. Now he knew that the toll of her power's existence inside of her was becoming too much for her to bear all alone. Because of that, she has to do everything necessary to finish the mission of defeating the demon shinobi and Erithea as soon as she could before her life force would be completely devoured.

Kurama slowly approached Riya who was still aiming the spear at him. Despite his vision getting blurred by the second because of his injury, it didn't really matter to him. Right now, he wanted to let Riya know that he would never hate her, let alone avoid her just for the sake of the mission. He would let her realize that he couldn't do such a thing because he loved her more than life itself. So even if he has to fight her to make her realize that, he would do it.

Riya subconsciously took a small step backwards upon seeing Kurama still approaching her. Knowing he wouldn't listen to her, she decided to attack him.

When she did, it came as a surprise to her when she saw him pulled out a rose and making his Rose Whip to strike back. For some time, they just kept on blocking each other's attacks as they tried to strike one another. Even though both of them were in a disadvantage because of their injuries, they didn't want to lose.

In order for them to convey their feelings to each other, even if it would mean it could hurt them in the process, they were willing to fight each other for their feelings to reach.

Another strike from Riya's Crystal Spear created another serious injury to Kurama. Because of that, he dropped to the ground as he breathed heavily while clutching his shoulder. Despite the intense pain, he tried to get up and he managed to do so with him crouching on one knee before looking at Riya.

"I don't know the real reason that provoked you to do this… But no matter what you do to hurt me, I'm not going to hate you and avoid you, Riya," Kurama said seriously and sincerely that made Riya look taken aback.

"What are you saying now, Kurama?" Riya asked, now obviously reluctant of what to do.

"I'm saying this because I want to. It's one way for me to prove that I'm willing to fulfill my promise I made to you since I have no intention of breaking it," the fox demon answered as he stood up.

Riya's grip to her spear slightly loosened before she spoke. "Fulfill… your promise?"

He slowly took a few steps towards her. "No matter what happens, we'll always be together. I'm just holding on to that, Riya, since I promised you that from the bottom of my heart. So please…" he gently said before collapsing to his knees.

After a minute or so of silence between them, Riya decided to give up as she heaved an exasperated sigh. And then she let the Crystal Spear vanished from her hand the confused Kurama but what he saw made him quite happy and relieved. With that, he smiled weakly before he completely dropped to the ground.

Riya approached Kurama and kneeled to his side before cradling his body to her arms. He slowly opened his eyes and faced the woman he was willing to risk his life for.

"Do you believe me now?" he asked.

She showed a small smile with her tears at the brim of her eyes. "You're an idiot, you know that? Completely ignoring my plea like that even though you figured it out already…"

"That's the first time anyone had called me an idiot," he said with a smile. "But since it's you who said that, I won't mind if it would make you believe me."

"Why?" It was the question she had been meaning to ask to Kurama. "Why are you so willing to risk your life knowing I could kill you with just one strike?"

"But you didn't," he said that had taken her aback. "Besides, I want to prove to you that I could fulfill my promise to many extent. So even if killing me with your own powers would do that, I won't mind. It's my way of proving you how much I love you, Riya."

What he said made her mind felt as if it has short-circuit due to shock. And because of that, she couldn't say anything at all.

"What did you say?" she could only ask after a minute or so of silence between them, surprise still evident on her face.

Kurama smiled weakly as he faced her again. "I know it's quite surprising. And to think I would admit all this after you just injured me. But that's the truth. And that's also the reason why… I kissed you that time. I never realized that by doing that, it would lead me to the fact that I fell in love with you five years ago… and I'll continue doing so whatever it takes…" he said emotionally enough to stir her emotions as she could sense sincerity and truthfulness in each word he has spoken despite the pain from his injuries.

But instead of answering him, Riya leaned down and gently kissed him on his forehead before looking at him lovingly.

"Sleep. I don't want to let the others see you in this state. You'll be fine when you wake up. I promise," Riya said softly, uttering the same words familiar to Kurama. Thankfully, the fox complied to that.

Upon seeing Kurama's peaceful sleeping face, Riya gently smiled despite the tears starting to fall to Kurama's bloody uniform. Her hands were shaking as she muttered the words she never got to say earlier when the red head confessed to her.

"I'm sorry, Kurama… that you have to be in this situation before you told me the truth. But the pain you had acquired from mke will not be wasted like that. I promise. I know that because… I love you, too. I'm sorry I hurt you this way. But don't worry. Like I said, everything will be fine when you wake up. I'm not going to go away from you anymore."

After that, one of her tears dropped to the ground and magically created a ripple effect, allowing her to conjure a silver-colored rune circle beneath them. It was followed by a soft gust of wind blowing upwards from the rune circle as it continued to glow, healing Kurama's wounds and fixing his torn and bloody uniform in the process.

After a few minutes or so, the rune circle vanished before she decided to release the barrier she cast earlier for the purpose of this trial. Riya smiled as she looked at Kurama's calm sleeping face and planted a soft kiss on his cheek soon after before she laid his body to the grass.

She then lied beside him and snuggled close to him as she allowed herself to be this close to Kurama again, letting her consciousness drift away as she was confident knowing that the fox demon would never forsake his feelings for her no matter what happens from then one. He would be there for her…

…the same way she would never forsake her love for him even if she has to deal with Death.

_I love you, Kurama… I always have…_ she thought before her consciousness drifted away completely.

**-x-x-**

The others arrived to the cliff where they suddenly sensed both Kurama and Riya's energy. But they were surprised to see those two lying peacefully on the green grass beneath the night sky until the wielders came up with a conclusion. A really good and relieved conclusion.

"Looks like the trial is over," Yumi commented with a small smile on her face.

"What happened here? And what's that trial you were talking about?" Kuwabara asked.

"Long story," Soujiro answered nonchalantly.

"Then make it short, will you?" Yusuke said, annoyed.

But no one from the wielders and the two demon shinobi said a word regarding that. They just watched Kurama and Riya sleep there together.

"I guess it doesn't matter what happened here," Keiko suddenly said. "From the looks of it, it seems that the trial was meant to test Kurama's real feelings for Riya-chan no matter what he had found out about her. And I think Kurama passed despite acquiring wounds from Riya-chan herself."

"You know something about this, Keiko?" Botan asked out of curiosity.

Keiko faced Botan before speaking. "It's more of an intuitive guess since Kurama's rose was just over there and there's a huge amount of blood near it," she replied with a serious face as she pointed out the direction where she saw the rose.

It came as a surprise to the team upon seeing that. Ayako sighed before smiling at the sight of her mistress lying beside the man she knew that Riya fell in love with.

"We better leave them here. I'm sure they'll be waking up sooner and I don't want any of us to ruin the romantic mood between them," the Light Wielder said before turning around and left the scene.

The rest of the team and the wielders later followed her.

**-x-x-**

**That's it for Chapter 24! At last! Please review on this one even though it took me so long to post it here. :)**** It really inspires me to write if someone actually reviews on this story. I know this is my only Yu Yu Hakusho fic but I also needs inspiration to continue writing. Right? Please…**


	25. No Matter What Happens

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 25: No Matter What Happens**

The next day (which was Sunday), the gang decided to stay for a day at Master Genkai's house along with the wielders and the two demon shinobis since they decided to train themselves for a while. The other part of the wielders's stories regarding the weapons had been cleared and the team agreed to join forces with the wielders to defeat Erithea though they didn't have a clear mission plan yet to do that. Still, they were definitely fired up to do so.

As for Riya, Genkai told her to rest for the whole day because the strain of using the Crystal Spear caused her wound to bleed profusely since it was too deep. The girl complied but that was after she was insisted to do so by almost everyone. Just to make sure she would do so, Kurama decided to stay with her.

That morning, everyone (with the exception of Riya and Kurama) were having breakfast in the dining room. It did not come as a surprise that all of them got along very well despite the tension among them during their initial meeting. It was also noticeable the Keiko and Akane got a little closer than they were at school. It was like their racial differences didn't matter at all.

Not only Keiko and Akane. The other wielders got along with the team quite well and they have thought that there wouldn't be any problem with teamwork, though it would take some time getting used to have so many people in the team.

"But you know, I'm really surprised when I found out that the wielders were of the same age as us," Kuwabara commented before gobbling up the food on his plate. "I thought you would be a lot older than I thought."

"Well, this came as a surprise for us, too," Yukari said. "But I guess it's for the best. Good thing Koenma-sama allowed us to have the weapons for the time being… just until we finish our mission."

"Koenma couldn't do anything to take the weapons from you since they had already chosen their masters," Hiei stated nonchalantly and matter-of-factly.

Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan eyed the fire demon strangely before glancing at each other.

"There's definitely something wrong with Hiei," Yusuke whispered to Kuwabara. In turn, Kuwabara nodded to agree.

But even though Hiei heard and so did Yukari, Hiei ignored it since they didn't actually know the full story. By far, only Yumi knew that since he has been with the said Fire Wielder for almost three months.

"Whether there's something wrong or not, I guess it's better if we just keep it to ourselves. Right?" Yukari said with a smile before continuing to eat.

Yusuke and Kuwabara shrugged and breakfast continued.

"By the way, aren't Kurama and Riya-chan going to have breakfast with us? Riya-chan's injury doesn't seem that bad now," Kuwabara inquired.

"I brought food for the two of them a while back before we started eating," Yukina replied softly. "Besides, Kurama really insisted on staying beside Riya-san."

"So that would make them a real couple now, huh?" Botan asked with a smile.

"Probably," Keiko answered. "With the trial now over and Kurama kissed her before, I guess I could say that they finally confessed their feelings for each other." But she was surprised to see the two demon shinobi and three of the wielders froze upon hearing what she said. And from the looks of it, they were surprised, seemed unexpectant.

Botan noticed that, as well. "Don't tell me you didn't know the part that Kurama kissed Riya-chan the night of the Rose Ball?"

When the thought had finally settled into their minds, three of the wielders (Yumi's the one exempted) and the demon shinobi siblings exclaimed all at the same time after inadventently dropping their spoons.

"Seriously?!" Ayako asked disbelievingly. Botan and Keiko nodded as an answer. After that, she sighed. "So I guess that explains it."

Yukari eyed the brunette Light Wielder. "Explains what, Ayako-senpai?"

"The strange closeness between Minamino-kun and Riya-chan during the movie's filming the day after the Rose Ball. It's as if their relationship somehow reached a new level," Ayako explained.

"We didn't tell you about this because we don't know how. We were surprised," Keiko said apollogetically.

Soujiro sighed before proceeding to eat.

"Well, if something like that happened, it's for the best," the blue-haired guy said.

"You're right about that," Akane responded. "But I want to know what happened that night."

"Me, too!" Yukari exclaimed enthusiastically before facing Botan and Keiko. "Ne, can you tell us what happened that night?"

"Please?" Ayako pleaded to the two girls who were now unsure of what to do.

But before one of them replied, Hiei suddenly spoke while looking outside since he was just sitting on the windowsill of one of the windows of that room.

"Hey, Yumi. Why don't you show them the video to make it easier?" Hiei suggested without looking at them.

After he said that, all of them faced the said girl who was already done eating. Yumi glowered at Hiei in response to what he said.

"Sheesh, Hiei! You ruined the suspense."

"Whatever," Hiei said before jumping away to a tree away from the others. But Yumi smiled inwardly when she saw him smirked when he said that.

_I'll let you get off the hook for now. Just wait until I get you for doing that,_ Yumi thought and then faced the others.

"What's that video he was talking about?" Yusuke asked curiously.

"It's actually a video about Kurama and Riya's kissing scene that I recorded," Yumi stated that surprised the others.

"You were there, Yumi-san?" Keiko asked and the blonde nodded.

"Anyway, if you really want to know what had happened that night, better finish your meals so that we could watch it together," the Fire Wielder said as she stood up and left the room. "I'll just get the tape."

The girls then giggled as the boys sighed at the sight of the girls' obvious excitement.

**-x-x-**

Meanwhile, Kurama and Riya decided to go out of the house to breathe some fresh air. They went out without the others' knowledge since they knew that they wouldn't let them have time together now that they were really considered a couple after all that commotion.

Though Hiei noticed them from one of the tree he was resting, he just let them have their ways. Besides, Yumi wouldn't want any distraction to happen between those two people's moments, especially when she would let the others watch the video and he knew that.

"Just make sure she'll be safe, fox," Hiei muttered before he jumped to another tree.

Kurama ended up on a tree at the top of a certain hill near the house. That way, the others wouldn't worry as to where to find them when they find out he and Riya were gone.

Riya took a deep breath as she stretched her arms wide before laying her back down on the grass. "This is the life!"

Kurama laughed softly as he sat beside her. This was when she faced the red head.

"Sorry for asking you this selfishly," she said apologetically that made him look at her. "I just couldn't take it staying all day in that room lying in bed like I have a very serious sickness. In a way, it suffocates me."

"I don't mind. Besides, I need to get out of there, as well. I know they would never stop bugging me about what happened yesterday."

She smiled when she heard that.

"You mean, you have to prepare yourself for their interrogations sooner?" Kurama nodded before laughing.

_I remember so well_

_The day that you came into my life_

_You asked for my name_

_You had the most beautiful smile_

Riya's face turned serious before looking at the field just below the hill. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Facing my attacks knowing I could kill you…" And then she sighed before facing him. "I know I asked this to you last night but I want to hear it again. I want to be certain about your feelings… at least once more…"

Silence surrounded the two of them as they lokked intently at each other. The soft wind blew passed them with the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds resounding much like a soft melody. Their hearts pounded as feeling still concealed inside tried their best to be released from it. Kurama stood up and then he laid his hand in front of her. In turn, Riya took it and he helped her stand up. Now they were only inches away from each other, their eyes still locked ub each other's gazes.

Before he could say something, he lifted his hand and gently touched her face. She held that particular hand, in return.

"I love you, Riya," Kurama said emotionally. "A lot of things had happened between us, making us face an inevitable battle. But that didn't stop me from knowing my feelings for you after realizing that I gave a part of my heart to you along with the Snow Rose. I couldn't deny that any longer. After I kissed you, it made me realize completely that you're not just merely special to me. I love you and I want to be with you no matter what."

"Kurama…"

"When you attacked me, I couldn't do anything to counter that at first. But when I realized your inner predicament with just merely your words, that's when I remembered what I said to you before."

She frowned at what he said. "What you said to me?"

He nodded with a smile. "I told you before that I'll trust you forever. We'll always be together no matter what happens and I'm not going to break that even if you ask me to."

_My life started to change_

_I wake up each day feeling alright_

_With you right by my side_

_Makes me feel things will work out just fine_

"You're really one persistent person, aren't you?" she commented that made them both chuckle.

Then Kurama looked at her amethyst eyes with much intensity and emotion. "Now do you believe me?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

Her face also turned serious as she looked at his emerald eyes. That was when she figured out that what he was saying was nothing but the truth.

But instead of answering him with words, she decided to answer it in a different way…

A way she knew he would definitely understand.

_How did you know_

_I needed someone like you in my life_

_That there was an empty space in my heart_

_You came at the right time in my life_

Riya slowly stood at the tip of her toes, her hand caressed his cheek before gently pressing her lips against his. This act of hers had caught Kurama off-guard, no doubt. It was completely unexpected; nonetheless, his heart began to overflow with so much happiness.

And so he decided to express his feelings once more. This time, without the use of words. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently placed his one hand on her nape, dragging her face closer.

Then he returned the kiss gratefully and lovingly.

At that moment, his heart had felt Riya's answer to his question a while back. She believed in him with all her heart and soul. He was obviously gratefl about that.

How he wished… that this loving and most beautiful moment would last forever…

_I'll never forget_

_How you brought the sun to shine in my life_

_And took all the worries and fears_

_That I have_

Riya smiled inwardly as soon as Kurama returned her kiss. And she was undoubtedly glad that he received the answer with all his heart.

Tears glistened on her cheeks as she cried, her heart began to overflow with so much happiness that she never thought she would actually feel. She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss began to deepen.

The cold wind blew but they seemed not tomind the cold. All that mattered to them was each other.

_I guess what I'm really trying to say_

_It's not every day_

_That someone like you comes my way_

_No words can express how much_

_I love you_

The kiss ended after a minute or so and when Riya pulled away, she smiled at the sight of overflowing happiness in Kurama's emerald eyes. She rested her head to his chest and allowed herself to feel his heartbeat.

"I love you too, Kurama…" she said truthfully and sincerely. "I always have."

"Since when?" Kurama asked, almost in a whisper.

"At first, I wasn't sure. But when I finally figured out everything and patch them up together, that's when I realized that I have been in love with you since the day you entrusted the Snow Rose to me. It might have been destroyed physically but the memory that goes with it still lived inside my heart until now. Like that Snow Rose, the feelings I've felt for you back then never withered. In fact, it blossomed into an even more beautiful flower. And it will always stay that way," she answered emotionally as she looked at his eyes afterwards.

Kurama smiled as a response to that.

"If I've heard that a long time ago, then I guess we didn't have to face that kind of trial. But it's for the best… now that we managed to survive this. This time, I won't let you go. I'll do everything to make you stay with me. Even if it means I have to defy everything and everyone that will get in the way," the fox demon said before planting a soft kiss to Riya's hair and embracing her at the same time.

Upon hearing that, Riya couldn't help but to cry silently. Given the fact that Kurama already knew her real situation, she was feeling afraid of what might happen to the two of them in the next coming days. The fated battle has yet to come and her string of life was already measured. She couldn't afford for everything to end in vai that she was sure she would regret afterwards. She didn't want that to happen.

As soon as she thought about that, she buried her face to his chest and cried harder. In a way, Kurama could sense her fears since he, too, was afraid of what might happen from then on. Even still, he was glad that things turned out like this for the two of them.

_How did you know_

_I needed someone like you in my life_

_That there was an empty space in my heart_

_You came at the right time in my life_

_I'll never forget_

_How you brought the sun to shine in my life_

_And took all the worries and fears_

_That I have_

A lot of things happened, each of which had caused them pain, sadness, fear… and most of all, happiness. Kurama and Riya had gone through all that. And yet, there was more to come for the two of them.

But there was only one thing they were glad about after all that…

_I guess what I'm really trying to say_

_It's not every day_

_That someone like you comes my way_

_No words can express how much_

_I love you_

Both of them were glad that they found love despite the confusing truth surrounding them.

As they kissed each other again, both of them sealed the promise that their hearts ahd spoken. No matter what happens, it would be the vow that would always live in their hearts for as long as they love each other.

_In life and in death, we'll be together eternally. And we'll be loving each other till beyond eternity…_

Now they knew the reason why people were not meant to live life alone.

**-x-x-**

**That's it for Chapter 25. By the way, the featured song here is entitled "How Did You Know?" and it's actually an OPM (meaning it's a song composed and popularized in the Philippines). I think it's an 80's song (or maybe 90's but I can't be sure). That's how old this song is. Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	26. Here's Love

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 26: Here's Love**

Two weeks had passed and surely, a lot of things happened after Riya went back to school. It was just the day after that formal confession and even if they didn't tell everything to the team, it would appear that they already have an idea about what was going on. And in a way, they could see that they were really supportive about it.

When Riya went back to school after Genkai made sure that she was alright, the whole class was glad for reasons that only Ayako and Kurama knew. They never told Riya about Ayako's outburst that scared Reina and they wanted to keep it that way. For the whole two weeks, they continued the filming for their movie presentation for the Rose Festival. The filming went went and fast. The class, even the team, made sure that no fagirls of Minamino Shuichi would cause a ruckus during the filming. Keiko, Botan, Yusuke and Kuwabara had watched the filming process onetime and due to that, they anticipated to watch the whole movie. Ayako assured them that they would be watching the movie on the day of the screening on the front rows.

Yumi went to the Demon World along with Hiei (of course, with Koenma's permission) in order to commence her mission since there were no signs of activities from the demon shinobi, Koenma allowed the two to go.

"Seriously, why am I tagging along with you again?" Hiei asked Yumi, slightly irritatted but deep inside, he was happy. Well, sort of.

"You're the only one whom I could ask about the Demon World when it comes to locating my father," Yumi said placidly as she pulled her hair to a bun. "Since I didn't really grew up here and I don't know my way around because of having a bad sense of direction in this world, I could only ask for your help."

"Why me? You could've ask Koenma for that."

"I can't do that," the blonde responded. This time, with a sad tone that surprised Hiei.

For the past three months since she asked for his assistance that he couldn't turn down for some reasons, he had never seen Yumi this sad. Not even once. Before he could even say something to counter that, Yumi spoke again.

"For some reason, I wanted to trust you with this. I couldn't just ask something so selfish to Koenma. Besides, I'm a criminal as of now. I have to do things on my own."

"Then why did you ask for my assistance?" Hiei seriously asked.

Silence filled the air for some seconds before Yumi sighed and faced Hiei.

"Like I said, you're the only one that I could trust with regards to this. And I'm sure—" she paused. "—you wanted to know what happened to your father, right?"

Hiei stiffened and was stunned upon hearing those words from Yumi. He wanted to talk but no voice were coming out. From the looks of the blonde's face, he could tell that the Fire Wielder was serious when she said that.

"I was recently informed by someone who knew my mother that my father was the leader of a certain clan of fire demons. And his right hand man was someone who once had a relationship with an ice apparition. For now, you're the only one I know who might be a proof of that forbidden relationship—its offspring, that is," Yumi said before she walked passed the fire demon. "I don't know much about your past and all, but I'm selfishly asking for your help so I could find my father. No matter what happens, I want to know who he is and why he had forsaken me. That way, I could finally move on for good."

They weren't facing each other, but the silence between them was enough to create a tense atmosphere. But then they didn't mind that. She head Hiei heaved a silent sigh before she turned around and wait beside her as they faced the same direction—the bloody red sky was somehow reminding them of so many thing no one knew.

Things that have something to do with their past.

"Let's go. I don't want to waste my time here goofing around," he said before he started walking away from that spot. "But let me remind you. I'm not doing this because of what you said."

Yumi gave a small smile before she shrugged.

"Whatever you say."

And with that, both of them proceeded to their journey. Along the way, they had dealt with several demons with a thirst for human blood. Since they've smelt her scent for having human blood, those demons usually went after her. Hiei was the one taking almost all of them down. As for Yumi, she just threw some fire spell to the demons. But that alone was enough for Hiei to notice something.

"You said that your father was a leader of a fire demon clan. But do you have any idea about his powers or skillls?" he asked as soon as they found a spot to rest for a while after taking those demons.

Yumi pondered on it for a while before she answered. "The only thing I heard about him with regards to power was that he's a master of the Spirit Summoning Arts like the Miyuzaki clan. But for him, he actually deals with fire spirits."

Hiei frowned. "Fire spirits?"

"Not just any fire spirits. From what I heard when I was young, he was able to summon spirits that enabled him to control the four mystical flames," she stated seriously that surprised him.

"Seriously?!" he exclaimed. Yumi nodded, looking down.

After a few minutes of resting, the two proceeded to continue with their journey. But little did they know that by mentioning that part of the story enabled them to open up a new book in which the story of their journey together was written.

Meanwhile, back in the Human World, Riya was memorizing her lines for the filming of the second-to-the-last scene of the movie written on the script. It was the part where Kimiko's best friend Misa (played by Miwako) would reveal to Kimiko the hidden feelings of Kenji. Later on, if there would be no retakes to be done, then they would proceed to filming the last scene—the conclusion of the story when Kenji and Kimiko pour out their hearts to let each other knew their feelings.

But as she continued memorizing her lines, there was one particular line in the script that had caught her attention.

"_No matter how much it will haunt me, I can't afford to let my past ruin what I have today…"_

It was actually the exact words that Yumi said to her when she talked to the Fire Wielder that Sunday night while they were at Genkai's. Upon reading that, she remembered the conversation that she and Yumi had that night…

_After Kurama and Riya arrived, they saw that the wielders and the team were waiting for their arrival. Like what they had predicted earlier, they interrogated Kurama that only made him look at her pleadingly. She just smiled in amusement but then she noticed that Yumi wasn't there. When she tried sensing her weapon's energy, she learned that Yumi was outside. _

_To be exact, on the rooftop of the house._

"_It's unusual for you to be staying all alone here," she said that made Yumi tur around. The blonde only responded with a smile._

_She frowned when she noticed Yumi's smile was somehow sad. She sighed before sitting beside her._

"_I guess you're having confusions right now, huh?" Riya commented as she looked at the same direction Yumi was looking at. "Don't ask how did I know that since it's really obvious. So? What's bothering you right now?"_

_None of them spoke a word. Riya saw Yumi pondering about her question but she noticed that the blonde was slightly blushing. And there was only one thing she had in mind that would make Yumi blush like that._

"_Something happened between you and that shorty three-eyed demon." It was more of a statement than a question. After that, she smiled as she faced the blonde Fire Wielder._

_Yumi looked at her, surprised by what she said. "How did you know that?"_

"_Let's just say that in a way, Hiei is facing the same predicament as you are. Care to tell me what happened?"_

_The blonde just looked at he for a few seconds before heaving a heavy sigh. "I just did something foolish enough to stir my emotions. This is the first time I've felt something like this, that's why I don't know what to do."_

_Riya frowned slightly when she saw Yumi blushed again and stammering. But deep inside, Riya thought it was quite a sight for Yumi to be like that._

"_Something foolish, huh? I wonder what could that be," she said with a teasing smile on her face._

_And since Yumi was already cornered with that question, she was left with no choice but to say her worries to her bestfriend and mistress._

"_Hiei and I accidentally… kissed…" Yumi admitted, followed by heat running to her face and making her bury her face to her knees as she hugged them. Riya stared at her with wide eyes open._

"_EH?! How did that happen?" Riya could only say after recovering from shock._

_Yumi told her about what happened in the Demon World during their journey. She explained everything to Riya in details so that it would be understandable, since she knew her to be someone who would dig to bring out the truth._

"_So that's what happened…" Riya said after the story was told. The blush that ran through Yumi's face lessened a little and her heartbeat returned to its normal tempo._

"_I know it's an accident and he's having delusions when it happened due to the effect of the arrow that was supposed to strike me. But I couldn't get it out of my head. More often, it would appear in my dreams. It's a good thing he didn't remember that."_

_Riya looked at her intently before speaking. "From what I could tell, I guess he remembered just parts of it and that explains the reason for his sudden change of treatment to you."_

_What the Wielders' mistress said had made Yumi face her in surprise. But upon analyzing the situation, it turned out to be true._

"_What am I supposed to do now?" Yumi asked in frustration as she scratched her head rashly before sighing exasperatingly and lying her back down on the roof. "Now I'm confused."_

"_It's always like that at the start," Riya commented. "We're getting all confused when we feel emotions that are completely new to us. But when we look inside our hearts, we'll be able to find the answers we're looking for. It might take some time for us to realize that, so we're forced to give it up. There are a lot of things that prevent the answers from coming out but we'll be able to find it as long as we're willing to wait and look for it."_

_The blonde sat up again and faced Riya before chuckling that made the mistress slightly confused._

"_What's so funny?"_

"_You talk like you based everything from your own experience," Yumi said before she topped chuckling and faced the night sky with solemn face. "But whatever answer my heart could come up with, I don't think I would be ready to face that."_

"_What made you say that?" Riya asked innocently._

_Yumi sighed to calm herself before continuing. "You know abou my past, right? All about the details that has something to do with me and my powers." Riya nodded. "I was just afraid that if he finds that out, he'll avoid me for good."_

"_Do you really want your past to destroy everything that makes you happy right now?" Riya asked seriously that struck Yumi and made her look at her mistress._

_The mistress stared at Yumi and waited patiently for the Fire Wielder's answer. She knew that Yumi was thinking about the answer to her question._

"_No matter how much it would haunt me, I couldn't afford to let my past ruin what I have today. It should be my stepping stone to reach the future I aimed for," Yumi answered seriously but with a smile._

_Riya smiled at that, as well. "I knew you'd say that. One day, he'll know everything about you and you can't avoid that. Whatever his reactions, face it heads on. Even if he'll hate you because of it, try to bear it. Don't worry about crying and your feelings being one-sided. It's just a part of the trials we're facing in life."_

"_You're right. And you'll be there for me, right?"_

_Riya nodded and both of them watched the starry night sky together, just like what they were doing when they were kids…_

Riya smiled upon remembering that. She didn't know how Yumi's feelings for Hiei would lead her friend to finding what the Fire Wielder had lost in life. But she would be there to support Yumi no matter what. The only thing that she was afraid of was the puzzle surrounding Yumi's true powers. All those times that they had been friends, she wasn't able to figure out the true source of Yumi's powers. But she was determined to find that out.

She continued to read the script when a cold can of soda touched her cheek. She was surprised with that so she looked up to know who did that. What she saw upon looking up was Kurama with a smile on his face while holding two cans of soda, with which he handed one to her.

"Gezz! Why in the world did you do that?" she pouted as she took the can offered to her. "Now my cheek is wet."

Kurama laughed before taking out his handkerchief and gently wiped Riya's wet cheek.

"Sorry about that. You were pretty serious while reading the script so I just thought of a way to divert your attention away from it for a while," the red head said before drinking. "What seems to be the problem?"

Riya's faced turned solemn as she put the can on her lap, still holding it. "I'm just worried about Yumi. But I'm sure Hiei will take care of her… I guess."

"I'm not really sure about Yumi's past that made her overdo things but I'm sure she'll be fine," Kurama said and then he faced her. "So stop thinking seriously or else, you'll get too much wrinkles on your forehead."

She managed to laugh at that and she opened the can. She drank the soda before heaving a sigh. That was when Kirika and Miwako called them.

"Riya-chan, Minamino-kun, we'll start filming your scene in 10 minutes. You can have your date later after the shoot," Kirika said with a teasing smile that made her blush slightly. Kurama only laughed before standing up.

It wasn't a secret to the whole campus anymore that Riya and Kurama became an official couple. They were not becoming lovey-dovey while inside the campus but a lot of students and teachers could see how much the pair liked each other.

No one was against their relationship, which was a good thing. And if there were, they couldn't do anything to break them up since Kurama and Riya's classmate and friends were definitely doing their best to protect those two people's relationship.

Their relationship also reached Kurama and Riya's families and they were relieved to know that they were supportive about it. Suuichi even teased Kurama that the relationship had finally progressed to the next level. Shiori and Kazuya were happy about her being Kurama's girlfriend and they felt that they had earned a daughter which they never had. Ritsuko and Haruna were also happy knowing that Riya had finally found the happiness she deserved after all the pain and loneliness she had been through.

When they arrived at the spot where the scene would be filmed, they only saw a few of their classmates in charge of the filming equipments. They also saw Miwako reading the script and mouthing the lines. Then Ayako approached Riya.

"Riya-chan, we'll be filming your scene with Miwako-chan first before filming the last scene. Okay?"

Riya nodded and was about to take her leave to go to her spot when Ayako spoke again.

"As for the last scene, we made a little bit of changes, though."

She was puzzled when she heard that. "Changes?"

Ayako nodded. And with that, the girl came to her and whispered the changes that she was talking about. Her eyes widened when it was said and done.

"What?!" she exclaimed that surprised Kurama but Ayako was just smiling.

The brunette put her hands together. "Please, Riya-chan. This is for our movie presentation. And besides, you and Minamino-kun are a couple so we're just taking advantage of that. The movie will surely come up good with that. I promise," Ayako pleaded while bowing down.

Riya looked at Ayako for some seconds before heaving a heavy sigh. After that, she scratched the back of her head since she was a bit confused right now.

"Does Shuichi know that plan?" she asked.

The brunette raised her head and smiled a bit guiltily. "Well, how should I say this…? You see… He's the one who suggested that."

"Eh?! You're kidding, right?"

Ayako shook her head as an answer.

She heaved an exasperated sigh. "Seriously…" And before she would even voice out her answer, she went to Kurama and grabbed his hand as she dragged him away from their classmates.

"Riya, what's wrong?" Kurama asked even though he already had an idea what was going on.

"We'll just talk for a minute or so," she answered.

Kurama looked back to Ayako and their classmates. He could see them grinning at that sight.

'_Good luck dealing with her, Kurama,'_ Ayako said telepathically as she winked at him.

**-x-x-**

Kurama and Riya ended up underneath a sakura tree just a few meters away from the rest of the class. Riya faced him with her hands crossed in front of her.

"Alright! Care to tell me what was that supposed to mean?" she started but he could sense that she was not angry. She was just probably demanding an explanation.

Kurama heaved a heavy sigh before facing her and answered. "I wasn't planning anything bad when I suggested that kissing scene. Well… they kind of forced me to it."

"That's not what I want to hear," Riya said seriously.

Upon hearing that, Kurama knew that Riya figured out the real reason behind his suggestion on that kissing scene to be done on the last scene of the script. All she wanted was to hear that from him directly.

But for a minute or so, no words came out of his mouth even though his mind was already screaming the answer. As he opened his mouth to say it, he was surprised to hear Riya utter his answer.

"You wanted to have a solid proof of our relationship, weren't you? A proof that I had existed in your life…"

Kurama's eyes widened when he heard that.

_I love you_

_I don't know what else to say_

'_Cause I long for you more each day_

"H-how did you…?"

But Riya just smiled gently and lifted her hands to touch his cheeks. It made him look directly at her eyes and was happy to see overwhelming emotions shining in them.

"I'm your girlfriend, right? Of course, I would know that," she said before she looked at him with sad eyes this time. "I know… that you're scared."

"Huh?"

"You're scared of losing me. Not because of the battle but because of the curse of my powers," she stated.

Kurama looked down before holding the hands that touched his cheeks. He held them tight before pulling her to his arms and embraced her.

"I can't help it… I can't help feeling this scared when I'm about to lose someone important to me. I just want to prepare myself no matter how hard. But how could I do that?"

But she pushed him slightly and looked into his emerald eyes before planting a soft kiss to Kurama's lips.

_I need you_

_I want to feel your embrace_

_And have a chance to touch your face_

After kissing him, Riya faced him with a smile on her face.

"If that's the case, then you should've told me clearly. That way, I wouldn't be shocked by the sudden changes in the script," she said, still smiling.

Kurama was a bit confused upon seeing that smile on her face. "You're not… angry?"

She gently shook her head. "Why would I? This way, we had memories to go back into. You can play it where you want and whenever you want. Many things could happen but this is one proof that our love did exist even just for once. And you have forever to live in it, no matter what happens." Before he could even voice out his thoughts regarding that, Riya pulled him away from that spot before she looked at him. "Let's go. Everyone's waiting. Let's finish this up so we could proceed with our date later."

_I was lost and alone_

_But you showed me the way_

_Now I call you my own_

_Things will never be the same_

Kurama, even though he was still pondering on what Riya said, managed to smile and so he caught up with her. He pulled the hand that Riya held and he just placed his left hand to her left shoulder.

Ever since their relationship became official, many changes happened. But among those changes, there was one thing that they were sure of.

It was definitely the first time they had felt so much happiness welling up in their hearts. No one ever thought both of them would be able to feel something like that.

_How could I've known_

_You will hold me close so tenderly_

The movie shooting continued without a fuss and the final scene—the story's conclusion—was filmed. Kurama and Riya did their best to make it realistic and would touch the viewers' hearts when they would be able to watch it. When it was done, their classmates allowed them to go ahead without helping on the pack-up since they figured out that the two had some important "business" to attend to.

As for Riya and Kurama, they just let them think what they wanted to think. They decided to head to the cliff side park once again. Since they first met there, it has become a place for them that reminded so much about their love story. A lot had happened to that place in which they were willing to treasure forever.

Right now, that place became their sanctuary. A place where they could entrust their dreams for each other and for their future together.

_Even though I'm alone_

_I can feel your arms enfolding me_

_And that love became mine in just one night_

_When you hold me tight_

_Oohh… it felt so right_

"Wow!" Riya exclaimed. "I really love inhaling the sweet breeze from up here." With that, she inhaled as she closed her eyes. Then she exhaled after a few seconds. She turned around to face Kurama. But she was surprised to see him looking at her with a serious face. "What's wrong?"

Kurama looked at her for a minute or so and she didn't even flinch. She knew there was something wrong but even so, it didn't leave her mind. Even when Kurama shook his head and faced her with a smile, that feeling didn't leave her.

"Nothing," Kurama answered. "I was just thinking… if moments like this could last eternally."

She didn't say anything regarding that. She knew a lot of things was worrying Kurama right now. But for him to say something like that, in a way she could sense his fears.

"It can," she whispered that startled him. "As long as you cherish it in your heart, I'm sure it will last for eternity. Just believe in it."

_I feel you_

_You're always here in my heart_

_It's where I've kept you since we fell apart_

"But please—" she said before approaching Kurama with a reassuring smile and held his hand. "—please stop thinking about what might happen tomorrow. Just cherish what we have today."

"What we have… today?" Kurama asked slightly confused as he looked straight at her.

"I know you're scared right now… and so am I. But I want to spend everyday of my short life with you. I don't want to think of what might happen after all these. That's why I'm enjoying my time with you because I don't want to feel regret if ever I'll be gone," Riya said as her voice became softer as she uttered each sentences. "It's not easy, I know. But I'm proud of the life I lived right now. And I'm happy that someone like you came to my life in spite of everything that I did for you to stay away from me. That's why I'm not going to regret anything."

The way Kurama looked at her turned soft as he eyed her intently. She smiled and stepped closer to him before embracing him. Seconds later, he returned her embrace and kissed her rose-scented hair before smelling it.

_I was lost and alone_

_But you showed me the way_

_Can't go on, on my own_

_Wishing that you would stay_

"You're right. I'm sorry if I made you worry like that," Kurama said to her ear. Riya just smiled at that.

"It's alright. I understand. Just remember that I love you, Kurama… More than anything else in this world…" she said emotionally. _More than life itself…_

Kurama just embraced her tight before he whispered his answer. "I love you too, Riya…"

The day continued as the two of them enjoyed their date. Of course, they went to various places together in which they saw familiar people also enjoying their own days. And without those people's knowledge, Riya and Kurama took pictures of them. They did it for fun since they learned that Yumi took a video of her and Kurama's first kissing scene. They thought that it would be best if they could create a memorabilia of some sort about how they lived their lives as normal people.

_How could I've known_

_You will hold me close so tenderly_

_Even though I'm alone_

_I can feel your arms enfolding me_

_And that love became mine in just one night_

_When you hold me tight_

_Oohh… it felt so right_

"You'll end up in serious interrogation if they had caught you taking pictures of Yusuke and the others," Kurama commented as they sat on one of the benches at the park after buying snacks and drinks.

"I know how to escape that so don't worry," Riya said confidently with a smile. "But I really love looking at the progress of my friends' relationships. Yusuke and Keiko-chan, even though they constantly bicker to each other, really looked good together. Kuwabara-kun and Yukina-chan were having a good progress, as well. Or at least that's what I wanted to say. I could hope Kuwabara-kun could really prove himself worthy for Hiei's sister without receiving glares, death threats and all."

Both of them laughed at that. Kurama took out the digital camera from Riya's bag and had a look at the pictures taken using that particular camera.

"Well, it seems that Botan found another friend that will match her personality," he said as he looked at Botan and Yukari's picture having a good conversation together while having snacks in a pastry shop.

Riya leaned to have a look at the said picture after drinking her juice. "Their personalities do match in a way but not to the extent that it would match each of it. They still have differences. But you know, I think I have an idea as to what could they possibly be talking about."

"Really?"

Riya nodded. And then ate her bread and drank her juice again.

_I was lost and alone_

_But you showed me the way_

"Yukari wanted to become a grim reaper… but she said that she wanted to do it using the Flute of Melody," Riya said seriously. "Anyway, it'll take a long time before it will come true."

"You approved of it?" he asked.

But she just faced him and shrugged. "It's her dream… I guess." And then she chuckled. "As long as they would be happy, I won't stop them."

"What about you? What's your dream?"

"Me?" Riya asked, pointing to herself. Kurama nodded before looking at the rest of the pictures.

She looked at him intently as he continued on what he was doing. After a few seconds, she looked at the blue sky.

"The only dream I have right now is for us to live our lives to the fullest. I don't want to end up regretting everything, that's why as much as possible, I want to spend it with you."

Kurama stopped looking at the pictures and slowly faced her.

_Can't go on, on my own_

_Wishing that you would stay_

"What about you?" she asked after answering.

"I just want every moment I had with you to be worth remembering in my lifetime," Kurama replied with a genuine smile on his face.

"I'm glad to hear that from you."

_Tell me that you would stay_

"Just like you, I don't want to end up regretting things in the end," Kurama said seriously before reverting his attention to the pictures on the digital camera's screen. "I just hope the wielders and these two demon shinobis will do the same thing."

Riya stopped chewing and leaned over to have a look at the pictures. She smiled when she saw a few shots taken about Soujiro and Akane, and also about Ayako and Noboru.

"They have a lot of time for them to do all that." And then she brought out one bonbon chocolat from the box before offering it to Kurama. "So instead of looking at the pictures over and over, I suggest you better eat your share before I gobble it all up."

Kurama smiled before starting to eat as she put the chocolate into his mouth. The two of them began eating and sharing their snacks. After that, she rested her head on his shoulder as they both watched the sky changed its color from blue to orange since the sun was beginning to set.

_How could I've known_

_You will hold me close so tenderly_

_Even though I'm alone_

_I can feel your arms enfolding me_

The wind started to blow cold and even though Riya was wearing jacket, it wasn't enough to prevent her from shivering slightly and Kurama felt it. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. Soon after, Riya's eyes started to droop as Kurama's warmth while embracing her sent a calming sensation to her body. And it was enough for her to feel sleepy.

As for Kurama, he couldn't help but to smile when he felt Riya's head almost fall from his shoulder where she was leaning. He carefully lifted her head and have her lean on his chest, particularly near to where his heart was beating. Riya let out a soft moan before she slightly snuggled to Kurama.

_And that love became mine in just one night_

_When you hold me tight_

_Oohh… it felt so right_

Hours had passed but Kurama stayed beside Riya even after the sun had finally set. Stars began to shimmer as it decorated the night sky, showing a stream of clustered stars and gallery of constellations. No doubt it was a magical night, especially now that he was with the woman he chose to spend the rest of his life with.

But even so, he couldn't help feeling sad since he knew that sooner or later, a curse would separate them and he would eventually lose her. He didn't want that to happen. But what could he do to stop her inevitable fate?

Kurama just heaved a heavy sigh before planting a soft kiss on top of Riya's head. Upon looking up to the night sky, he saw a streak of light passed.

_Felt so right_

If he could really wish upon that shooting star, there was only one thing he could even wish for.

He wished that this wonderful moment together with the one he loved would freeze so that it wouldlast forever. That way, he could at least have forever to show and prove his love for her.

_Hmm.. felt so right…_

For now, that was his one greatest wish.

**-x-x-**

**The featured song here that I could never own but can still love is entitled "Felt So Right" by Sarah Geronimo. I just love this song. And this looked like another Valentine chapter.**

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	27. The Day Of Succession

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 27: The Day Of Succession**

Two days later, Riya decided to go to the mall downtown to buy some clothes, shoes, and dresses that she would need for her birthday celebration three weeks from now. Her family decided to celebrate her birthday at the functio hall of one of the hotels of that city that the Miyuzaki family owned. So far, the only peoplewho knew her birthday besides her family was Yumi, Yusuke, and Keiko. She haven't told it yet to Kurama since she had forgotten about it in a way.

Maybe she would when the trouble was over. As for now, she just needed to prepare for that big day. She had no problem when it comes to guests who would attend the party since her family assured her that her guests would only consists of her close friends, including those that she would invite.

And since it would be her seventeenth birthday, she was quite sure it would be a one memorable event for her.

She was about to go inside the department store to buy a brand new laptop as a gift for herself when she spotted Botan and Keiko approaching her. She smiled at them and waved 'hi'.

"Looks like you're doing your own shopping, Riya-chan," Keiko commented upon seeing Riya carrying some shopping bags.

Riya just smiled and nodded. "I just need to prepare since I'll be having another fashion stress three weeks from now."

"Three weeks from now?" Botan asked. "Is there any occasion that will happen three weeks from now?"

Keiko just winked at Riya before grinning. Botan eyed the latter strangely.

"It'll be a secret for now. And besides, you'll know that soon enough," Riya said as she winked at Botan before entering the department store.

Botan and Keiko soon decided to follow her. The three of them enjoyed shopping even though Riya was only planning to buy a laptop. Thanks to the sales clerk's suggestion and Keiko's knowledge about the updates of brand-new laptops, Riya managed to buy one she needed.

They were about to take a cab to go home when Botan's compact communicator vibrated and it made them go somewhere hidden. The only place fitting that description for now was the alley near the department store. When Botan opened the communicator, they saw Koenma in his office now looking at the three of them.

"Botan, where are you?" Koenma asked.

Botan eyed Keiko and Riya before speaking. "I'm with Keiko-chan and Riya-chan right now."

"Did something happen, Koenma?" Riya inquired. Koenma nodded as an answer. "Where's Kurama and the others? Are they safe?"

"I can't say anything about them being safe, Riya, because they're dealing with a group of demon shinobi right now," Koenma said. "I called just to make sure the three of you are alright. Yukari informed me a while back through long distance telepathy that she had read the enemies' minds about their plan to steal the Legendary Weapons and your capture."

"They must have an idea already about me being the Crystal Spear's wielder," Riya said matter-of-factly. After that, she gave a reassuring smile to Koenma. "Don't worry. I'll make sure they wouldn't capture me. Botan-chan and Keiko-chan will be safe with me. I promise."

Koenma nodded. "As for Botan, I need you to return to the Spirit World for a while. There's something I need you to bring to Yusuke."

"Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can." Botan closed the communicator as soon as she said that. After that, Botan materialized her ore and headed upwards to go to the Spirit World as per Koenma's orders.

But that few moments of letting their guards down made their enemies corner them. There were ten demon shinobis in that group surrounding them and it was obvious that they didn't have any way to escape except to fly. But that, too, would cost Riya her strength and her powers.

As for Keiko, she was beginning to feel scared but tried to remain firm so she won't worry Riya. Even after the demon shinobi unsheathed (while some summoned) their weapons—most of them were sword wielders, she just stayed behind Riya as the Wielder's Mistress prepared herself for the enemies' attacks.

"Why don't you use your Crystal Spear, princess? I'm sure that would help you fight us with ease," one of the demon shinobi said mockingly but Riya just faced them emotionlessly, though those words were enough for her to be annoyed with the demon shinobi.

Riya could sense the level of energy of their enemies. Though she could say that she had the advantage since her powers were of a stronger level than they were, the energy required in using one of her spells would be too much. Keiko was getting worried not just for herself but for Riya, as well. And as both of them tried to think of an alternative way to escape, Keiko heard a voice that caught her off-guard.

_**Keiko-sama, please allow me to help you…**_ a child-like voice of a girl said telepathically. Keiko frowned upon hearing that.

_**Who are you? And why are you addressing me as Keiko-sama?**_ Keiko asked but never let the enemies know what was happening.

She heard the faint laughter of the mysterious voice. _**Allow me to help you utilize the powers that you have and I'll reveal myself to you. But you have to decide now before it would become too late.**_

Though Keiko wanted to doubt that voice, somewhere in her heart she could feel that the mysterious girl was telling the truth and that she wasn't someone dangerous. And it allowed her to make a decision to save herself and Riya.

_**Alright… I'll have it your way. Just promise me you'll tell the truth about who you are after this,**_ Keiko responded seriously.

_**As you wish, my Lady.**_ And then a yellow magic circle appeared beneath Keiko that surprised almost all of them. Keiko faced Riya who was, without a doubt, surprised but managed to recover as the latter seemed to have an idea of what was going on.

"I have no idea what was happening right now, Riya-chan. But I trust the voice that I heard in my mind a while back," Keiko said.

Riya smiled to assure Keiko that it was alright. "I have to say that I trust that voice, as well." _It looks like she finally woke up from her long and deep slumber…_

And with that, the magic circle glowed brighter followed by gusts of wind surrounding the two girls. The enemies became surprised with that but then they decided to take their chance and charged at the two girls with their weapons. Much to their surprise, Keiko emitted a bright yellow aura that compressed and accelerated the air surrounding them. It was later followed by Keiko creating several blades of wind and threw them immediately at their enemies' direction, continually slicing their bodies to several pieces before the blades came into contact with the barrier Riya had cast earlier.

The wind surrounding Keiko slowly dissipated just as the magic circle slowly stopped glowing and eventually disappeared. What Keiko suddenly realized was that the attack she threw earlier was enough to sap much of her energy and if it wasn't for Riya, she would have collapsed to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Riya asked. Keiko replied with a nod before standing up after regaining some of her strength.

"What the heck happened?" Keiko couldn't help asking as she faced Riya in confusion.

Riya just smiled at her. "I guess Kazemi-chan might be able to explain that to you since she had finally awakened from her slumber."

"Kazemi-chan? You mean the owner of the child-like voice who talked to me telepathically just a while back?"

But before Riya could say something, a bright yellow orb appeared in front of Keiko. It expanded to the size of a basketball before "shattering"; thus revealing a beautiful golden-haired girl draped in long flowing light green kimono with a height of about ten inches.

Keiko could only stare at it in surprise. Riya just smiled at the sight and gave a small bow to the small being when it bowed to her.

"You're the one who talked to me earlier?" Keiko asked after recovering from surprise.

The small girl nodded. "My name is Kazemi, Keiko-sama."

"But why do you keep addressing me as Keiko-sama?"

"That's because it's a sign of respect to my master," Kazemi casually but politely answered that made Keiko confused.

It made her face Riya. "I don't understand."

Riya sighed before approaching Keiko. "I expected this to happen so I'll explain it to you. The small girl in front of you right now is a Crystal Spirit of the Dragon Gem called 'Wind of the Golden Dragon Gem' and surprisingly, you have that gem inside of you, Keiko-chan. That's the reason Kazemi-chan acknowledged you as her master."

"Crystal Spirit?"

"It's an ethereal form of the forces of the powers that the Dragon Gems possessed. More or less, they're the guardians of the Dragon Gems that they represent."

"But what does that have something to do with me? And how will it affect me in any way?" Keiko asked, though still confused but managed to understand some of it.

Kazemi sighed before she flew towards her master and showed a smile.

"For you, Keiko-sama, to possess the Wind of the Golden Dragon Gem only meant that Mistress Riya's search is finally over," Kazemi answered in a child-like tone she was accustomed of. She saw confusion on Keiko's face and she expected it, so she tried explaining it carefully and clearly. "The Arrow of Wind had chosen Mistress Riya to be its wielder, right?"

Keiko nodded. And then Kazemi continued.

"But because she wasn't born with the Wind of the Golden Dragon Gem, she coudn't fully use the weapon's powers even though she can still use it in its main form. A wielder can only use the full power of his Legendary Weapon and achieve its ultimate form if the Wielder's Crystal and the Dragon Gem were both inside of his body on the day he was born. The other wielders have that kind of situation. But in Mistress Riya's case, it's not since she was born with the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem and the Topaz Heart, each of which holds different type and amount of powers thus making her unable to use the Arrow of Wind to its fullest potential."

Keiko fell silent after that. As for Riya and Kazemi, they became quite worried for her and they didn't know what to do until the girl spoke.

"So the search that you're talking about was for Riya-chan to give the Arrow of Wind to the person who has the Wind of the Golden Dragon Gem?" Keiko asked as she finally realized what was going on. Both Riya and Kazemi nodded.

Kazemi smiled sadly before speaking. "Keiko-sama, I know that you wanted to keep living the way you remembered it and I do, too. But please forgive me for ruining it because of our selfishness. If it wasn't for the prophecy, everything you knew would have remained the way as it is."

"Prophecy? You mean about the battle between the wielders and Erithea's demon shinobis?"

Kazemi nodded before materializing a silver book and opened it.

"What's that?"

"It's my memory book. Well, besides taking notes about important events and battles of the history, it's also a storage medium of the spells that you can also use. This is where I place the phrases mentioned in the prophecy about the ongoing battle," Kazemi said and then she began reading it. _**"When the two blue moons from different times align, the seven colors of the rainbow will brightly shine. The monsters of life will gather to obliterate the heart of light and will make the world veiled in a never-ending night. Endless battles will ensue conflicts and a sacrifice as the silver curse will take a rose's life as a price..."**_

At that point, Keiko stiffened and Riya flinched.

Kazemi soon froze when her sight landed to the next lines of the prophecy. _When the gentle wind turned black with hate and madness, the white rose will soon die at the hands of darkness. A death will trigger to open the path of the dark powers and will eventually cover the world in a shadow for endless hours._ That was the first time she encountered that part of the prophecy. And she knew the meaning of the term 'white rose' that appeared in that part of the passage.

That term was referring to Riya since the family emblem of the Miyuzaki family was the white rose. For now, the only person who could prevent that death was Kurama if he could definitely defy the prophecy despite their fate that had been already set. Kazemi decided to skip that part and read on.

"_**An ancient weapon of the three realms will be awakened in order to banish the darkness in the end. The land where the crystal that conceals the unavoidable destiny will crumble down once the rose defies the laws of fate and eternity. Two hearts will be consumed by the power of an eternal promise of love and will become the guiding light to the pathof a destined future to have..."**_

After that, Kazemi sighed and closed the book. She then looked at Keiko. "I guess it's a little confusing."

Keiko shook her head and faced Kazemi.

"I was just thinking... if I should accept the Arrow of Wind or not. Sooner or later, Yusuke will know about this even though he doesn't want me to be involved in this battle." Keiko then heaved a sigh before continuing. "But I want to help you guys in any way I can. And even if it means making me one of the wielders, then so be it. I don't care if Yusuke will be angry. At least, I could help you." She faced Kazemi after that. "You will help me do my responsibility as the Arrow of Wind's new wielder, right?"

Kazemi's face lightened up and nodded happily. Keiko smiled at that before she faced Riya.

"Are you sure about this, Keiko-chan?" Riya asked in a worried tone. The said girl nodded as she held out her hand.

"It's time. But don't mention this yet to Yusuke, alright?"

Riya just smiled as she took Keiko's hand. The moment their hands touched, a bright yellow glow emitted from there before a large yellow magic circle appeared beneath the two of them. Soon after, wings sprouted from Keiko's back as winds started to surround them both. Keiko was starting to become scared but Riya's smile made her not to. Both of them closed their eyes as Riya began to utter an incantation.

"O deep magic that hides the forces of the four elements, show your powers to me. Upon my command, open the path to release the deity's hidden powers." Suddenly, rush of wind surrounded them even more as a golden orb came out of Riya's chest. "In the name of your former master, I'm asking you to form a new contract and accept Yukimura Keiko as your new wielder. Arrow of Wind, seal release!" After that, the orb began taking some forms.

One evident form was the longbow and arrow. The other was the Wielder's Crystal of the Wind, the Topaz Heart. Soon after, the forms revealed by the orb returned to take the form of an orb once more before it slowly entered Keiko's body. A few seconds more, the wind, the magic circle and the glow vanished.

Kazemi flew towards Keiko excitedly and hugged her. "I'm glad you're my formal master now, Keiko-sama."

Keiko just chuckled at that before gently pushing Kazemi. "From now on, we'll work together as partners. Okay?"

The small being nodded.

"Anyway, we need to get out of here. I guess the others will be needing our help."

With that, Keiko and Kazemi agreed before Kazemi disappeared and Riya released the barrier.

_Please be safe, everyone..._

**-x-x-**

As for the team and the wielders, their face-off with the demon shinobis happened at the rooftop of the mall that Riya went to a while back. And in order for the effects of the battle not to affect the public, especially unrelated humans, Ayako created a pocket dimension using the Staff of Shimmer's powers.

"Even if you created a dimension to face us, your mistress will still die if she wouldn't give us the Crystal Spear and your weapons," one of the demon shinobi said before laughing evilly and materializing a large mirror.

"What's that suppose to do, bounce off our attacks?" Yusuke asked sarcastically.

But then they were surprised when the mirror showed a vision of Riya and Keiko surrounded by demon shinobis and the enemies were about to attack the two girls. Though before they could see what was about to happen, Yukari's flute began to glow.

"Flute Whip!" Yukari shouted as she struck the mirror several times with the stream of energy coming out from the tip of the Flute of Melody.

The mirror then shattered, signaling the others to throw their attacks to the enemies. The battle was hard, since they were already dealing with demon shinobis that nearly rivaled their powers.

_Riya, please be alright..._ Kurama silently pleaded as he battled three demon shinobis. Though his enemies were hard to deal with at first, he managed to destroy them.

"Kurama, you have to get out of here and help Riya! We'll take care of the rest!" Yumi shouted before jumping up to the air and stuck out her hand. "Flare of Dragon Tears!" she screamed as several small balls of fire in shape of teardrops came out of her hand and threw it to her targets.

Though feeling a little hesitant, Kurama followed what Yumi said and ran towards a certain direction. As he did this, he heard the other wielders' attacks and screams of pain from the demon shinobis who received those attacks.

"Moon Spear Assault!" Ayako screamed as she tossed her already raised staff forward, commanding several light spears to be shot from above and made contact with several demon shinobis, killing the enemies in the process.

"Whirlwind Scythe Slash!" Soujiro shouted after enhancing the power of the scythe's blade using the derived ki from the "deep waters" as he attacked several demon shinobis surrounding them all at once, slicing their weapons to pieces and killing them due to the immediate effect of the poison from the blade of the scythe.

Yukari prevented the other demon shinobis from following Kurama as she began activating her ki before channeling it to her weapon.

"Flute Whip Reform, Sonic Sword!" Yukari shouted as her flute took another form. This time, it was a long broad sword. As she saw the enemies approaching, she took a fighting stance before unleashing her attack that she would release at long range. "Harmonic Spiral Slash!" she screamed as she swung her sword in front of her, thus enabling her to unleash powerful sharp, spiral beams from the sword's blade and threw it at her targets.

As for Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Ren (Noboru) and Sei (Akane), they have dealt with the other demon shinobis using their weapons and powers. When it comes to speed, Sei was obviously a match to Hiei's as she dealt with the enemies using her speed and her large throw star and shuriken created using her ki. Ren took care of the demon shinobis using his knowledge in many types of martial arts and his twin swords.

All of them were tired as they finally dealt with the last one but to Yumi's surprise, Kurama still haven't managed to get out of the dimension even though Ayako had purposely loosen it for him.

"Kurama, are you alright?" Yusuke asked.

That was when they saw Kurama panting slightly with his body full of gashes and cuts as his Rose Whip were soaking with blood. With worries for the said fox demon, they all approached him.

"How did you get those wounds?" Hiei asked nonchalantly despite his worries.

"One of the demon shinobis created another pocket dimension here. I managed to deal with the caster of that dimension but not after I got injured over and over when I fought him. But he left a part of a certain prophecy just before he died."

That caused curiosity and confusion to arise to the others. "A part of a certain prophecy?"

"I think I can help you with that!" Botan shouted. Though the said grim reaper was outside the pocket dimension, they still managed to hear her.

"Is Botan-chan's voice really that loud?" Yukari asked while chuckling.

"I'm not sure if that's the effect of the pocket dimension or not. But I guess we need to get out of here," Ayako suggested. "It's a good thing no one was on this rooftop."

Shortly after, Ayako released the dimensional barrier that she cast to create a pocker dimension. And as they had expected, Botan was just outside the barrier and then she flew towards them while holding a big hardbound book.

"What's that book you're holding, Botan?" Yusuke asked as soon as Botan landed and placed the book on the floor.

"It's the Book of Ancients that Koenma-sama wanted you to see since the full prophecy about this whole battle was written here," Botan said as she flipped the pages as fast as she could to the part where the prophecy was written. And when she finally found the page in question, she faced the injured Kurama. "But before I read the full passage, what was the part of the prophecy that the demon shinobi said to you, Kurama?"

Kurama looked away for a while as he pondered, thinking about what Botan had asked. After a few seconds, he faced her and answered. "If I remember it right, it goes this way: _**'When the gentle wind turned black with hate and madness, the white rose will soon die at the hands of darkness. A death will trigger to open the path of the dark powers and will eventually cover the world in a shadow for endless hours.'**_ That's what he said to me."

Yumi was shocked to hear that. "It can't be... She can't die just like that..."

"What are you talking about, Yumi?" Hiei demanded.

"The white rose will soon die at the hands of darkness..." Yumi murmured. "It means Riya will not die because of the curse of her powers, but because she will be killed by the demon shinobis and her essence will be used to release the ancient dark powers sealed 500,000 years ago with the use of the powers of the eight Dragon Gems. Something will happen that will make her unable to control her powers anymore and will soon drive her mad. Maybe a tragedy that is so unacceptable she became consumed with hatred and vengeance. They're going to use that opportunity to take her and use her as a pawn to revive what isn't supposed to be revived."

Extreme shock was evident in everyone's faces. Obviously, they didn't like the definition of that part of the prophecy at all. But the one who was most likely affected by that revelation was Kurama, though he tried not to show it.

"Botan-chan, can you read the full passage of the prophecy to us?" Yukari requested.

"Sure. But you have to listen carefully since it's really long," Botan said and began reading the prophecy from the book. When she was finished, everyone couldn't say a word about it.

"That was... really long..." Kuwabara commented after a few seconds, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. Long enough for us to understand that we're about to lose Riya because of this. Damn it!" Yusuke said as he clenched his fist tightly.

Ayako sighed to calm her nerves. "But reading between the lines, it's not just Riya-chan who was referred to as 'the rose'. And that means it's not just talking about Riya-chan's death alone."

When the team analyzed the words that Ayako spoke, their eyes widened at the realization of the meaning of the term 'the rose'.

"You got to be kidding me..." Yukari murmured in disbelief. "It can't be him..."

"No way... Kurama can't... just die like that..." Yusuke said, most likely to himself.

"The passage most likely talked about the ongoing battle, the upcoming fated battle with Erithea and an ensured victory... at the cost of either Riya or Kurama's life..." Yumi scoffed after saying that. "I can't believe that's the way the ancients think."

Soujiro frowned as he looked at Yumi. "What do you mean by that, Captain?"

"Their way of thinking was to sacrifice something in return for peace or protection," Yumi replied.

"So now what are we going to do?" Yusuke inquired.

"Honestly, I don't know," Yumi answered frankly. "After all of these were revealed, my thoughts are all mixed up and I can't think of what else to do."

Ayako sighed before looking at Soujiro. "Secondary Leader, what do you think?"

"For now, we'll stick with out original plan. That's the concrete plan that we have for now," Soujiro said.

"Let's just hope we all don't end up dead before the final battle begins," Hiei said sarcastically before leaving.

Kuwabara growled at that. "As much as I hate to admit it, Hiei's right. And I'll have to agree on that one."

**-x-x-**

**I know it's a little bit of a turnout to see Keiko now a part of the wielders. But seriously, I can't afford to add another OC at this point other than those that I've added already. Besides, I also want Keiko to be somebody that will support and help the team in some other way other than being with them and yet it made her worry for them and that's it. I want her to be a supporter in a way that she won't just stay in one corner and just watch Yusuke fight. I want her to have a big participation on this one, too.**

**And so this idea of making her a part of the wielders came about.**

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	28. The Courage To Choose

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:**The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 28: The Courage To Choose**

Riya and Keiko reached the mall's rooftop just after the team and the wielders' battle. The two girls heaved sighs of relief upon seeing their beloved and their friends alive and alright. Filled with worries and happiness, Riya ran towards Kurama and jumped into his arms.

"I'm glad you're alright," Riya said as she tightly hugged Kurama, her body trembling slightly.

Kurama eyed his girlfriend with soft eyes before hugging her in return. "I'm alright so don't worry," he gently said to her ear.

When Riya released herself from his embrace, she looked at Kurama and touched the cut on his right cheek. "Don't move," she gently commanded before her hand that was touching his cheek emitted a silver glow. She closed her eyes after that.

To everyone's surprise, it wasn't just Kurama who was being healed when they felt a gentle soothing breeze blew forth, healing everyone's injuries in the process.

"You'll be alright after this?" Kurama asked with concern after Riya healed everyone.

Riya nodded and smiled. "Healing spells won't affect me that much unlike offensive and defensive spells." And then she faced the others. "Are you alright?"

"We're fine now, thanks to you!" Yusuke said happily after looking at Botan warning her not to let Riya and Keiko see the book. Botan complied with that.

"But how did you manage to escape the demon shinobis that cornered you and Keiko-chan?" Kuwabara asked curiously.

But Riya just smiled before glancing at Keiko who was just standing beside Yusuke now. "Let's just say something unexpected happened. Right, Keiko-chan?" Riya said as she winked to the said girl.

Keiko just answered it with a smile that puzzled everyone upon looking at it. They knew that something happened with which Riya and Keiko was hiding. Keiko talked to Kazemi before they reached the rooftop about helping her seal her spirit energy to prevent detection from Yusuke and the others, especially the other wielders. The said Crystal Spirit obliged to that.

Not long after, Riya heard repeating beeps from her watch. She opened its lid and it materialized a virtual screen the size of a small TV monitor. She then saw Koenma on the screen with a strained look on his face. That alone made her figure out the toddler prince's business with them.

"Don't tell me…"

"Riya, the fateful battle is about to happen," Koenma said gravely. "My closest estimate would be 7 days from now…"

"_When the two blue moons from different times align…_" Riya murmured that part of the prophecy before looking up to the sky. "The battle will not happen seven days from now, Koenma—" she paused. "—instead, it will happen during the full moon… which will be three days from now."

"THREE DAYS FROM NOW? Are you insane?!" Yusuke yelled but Riya didn't even flinch. When he saw that, he then figured out that Riya was serious about it. All he could do was to sigh. "How did you figure that one out?"

"I can't tell you the full details now, Yusuke. There's no way I could," Riya answered, her hand began to quiver because of so many thoughts and emotions engulfing her.

Yumi sighed and approached Riya before looking at the screen. "We'll do everything we can to end this as soon as we could, Koenma-sama."

Koenma nodded. "Just don't die." And with that, the virtual screen vanished and Riya slowly put her hand down to her side.

_Just don't die… That's impossible now, Koenma. Between me and Kurama… One of us is destined to die in this battle…_ Riya sadly thought as she looked at the clear blue sky. She overheard the conversation about the full passage of the prophecy and somehow, she understood the reason why Kazemi decided to skip a part of it.

Kurama didn't speak the whole time when Koenma called. Not because he simply didn't, it was also because he couldn't. learning about that devastating passage in the prophecy, it was more than enough for him to feel protective to Riya more than ever. He couldn't afford to let her be killed by the enemies like that.

Not on his watch. Not while he was still alive.

_I don't know what's going to happen from now on, Riya. But I'll protect you no matter what… even if it cost me my life to do so…_ Kurama thought, determined as he looked at the sad face of his girlfriend.

Unable to bear that look on her face, Kurama approached Riya and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Riya held the arms that wrapped her in return.

For now, that was the only comfort he could offer to her.

Later that day, all of them decided to head to Master Genkai's place and spend the next two days to train themselves in preparation for the upcoming battle. Using Ayako's Moonlight Teleportation spell, they immediately ended up to the old lady's land. Upon mentioning the Genkai the whole story, she approved of the plan.

For the past two days, all of them trained. Ayako trained with Ren and Kurama, Yumi trained with Hiei, Yusuke with Yukari, Kuwabara with Soujiro and Sei, and Keiko secretly trained with Riya and Genkai. Keiko told the old lady the truth about her possessing the Wind of the Yellow Dragon Gem and Kazemi explained the full details. They made a deal not to tell Yusuke and the others about this for now, not until Keiko's hold on her newfound power would be strong enough to go to a dangerous battle such as the one they were currently facing.

And since Keiko's spirit energy was of a different scale than Yusuke's because of the fact that she was a Legendary Weapon Wielder, Keiko underwent a different training regimen though Genkai taught her some basics about using and manipulating spirit energy. It wasn't a surprise for Genkai to see Keiko learning fast since the girl had Riya and Kazemi guiding her. And for the past few days of non-stop traing with Riya and Genkai, Keiko could somehow feel that she was ready though she clearly knew she won't still be a match to Riya. She did spar with Riya and she managed to put a hit on her even though she didn't win because of the mistress' skills far advanced than Keiko's.

Riya also thought Keiko some basic techniques on how to use the Arrow of Wind and draw energies from the wind spirits, including some tips on how to learn to use just a bit of the Spirit Summoning Arts dealing with the wind spirits in a short amount of time.

All of them trained non-stop for the past days and they were all tired and exhausted. Riya, Keiko and Yukina cooked the meals necessary to restore everyone's lost strength after each day's training. And as expected, Yusuke and Kuwabara ate a lot than usual. It was a good thing the three girls cooked food that would be enough for 30 people, or else it would be a disaster in a way. Even though they were tensed and nervous about the upcoming battle, they managed to spend their time together like they weren't facing any problems at all. No matter what happens, it would be one memory for them to remember.

After that, Yumi suggested that they should all write something and hang it on some branches of a maple tree near Genkai's house. It was a sort of a wish tree, only the thoughts written on the paper wasn't a wish. Just simple thoughts, fear, hopeful wishings of any kind, all of which had something to do with the battle that they were about to face.

Yumi called it as "Thoughts On Paper Under The Moon" since the silver was glowing brighter than usual even though it hadn't achieved its full shape yet.

No one was exempted to the suggestion. She managed to convince Hiei and Genkai to write one. Even Koenma, who visited everyone that night, wasn't exempted, as well. When they started, each of the papers placed on the maple tree has eight minutes interval upon writing.

The papers were placed around the tree in certain order that were as follows: Yumi, Hiei, Yukari, Botan, Ayako, Ren, Kuwabara, Yukina, Soujiro, Sei, Yusuke, Keiko, Koenma, Genkai, Kurama, and Riya. After writing, they all went to sleep big time.

Well… almost all of them.

Riya was just done placing her paper on the branch of the maple tree and right now, she was looking at it as it swayed along the gentle night breeze that blew forth with the other papers. Upon remembering the thoughts she had put onto that paper, her tears freely streaked down her cheeks.

"You're still here?" Kurama said that startled her and made her immediately wipe the tears on her cheeks. She must have been in deep thoughts, that was why she didn't sense Kurama coming near.

Riya turned around and faced Kurama with a smile. "I just need to breathe some fresh air. What about you? You can't sleep?"

Kurama nodded that worried her. "I've been doing a lot of thinking after I heard that part of the prophecy. I just couldn't believe that the ancients predicted your death."

"Kurama…"

"I've been doing my best to defy every obstacle that lies ahead so I could be with you eternally. I want to do everything I can to defend that with my life because I couldn't think of living without you anymore. I want you to be a permanent part of my life," Kurama said sadly but determined. "I just couldn't watch you die like that, Riya. There's no way I could," he continued as he slightly shook his head.

Riya bit her lip as she watched Kurama saying those words to her. Almost four months ago, never in her life would she have thought this kind of life to come. Ever since she met, befriended and eventually fell in love with Kurama, she knew that this wonderful feeling she had felt for him wasn't just a mere dream. A lot of things happened but she and Kurama managed to survive all that. All that she could ever wish right now was for this to last eternally.

But all of that wishful thinking shattered because of what fate had thrown at them. They were about to face a dangerous battle wherein one life would be sacrificed. The only choice: Kurama's life or hers.

It was the truth she could never accept no matter what. It was enough that she already lost her father and her brother a long time ago. It would be too unbearable for her if Kurama would die because of the battle that he was not supposed to be involved into. But certain circumstances led him to her as a partner to face one of the greatest enemy of all: Death. And the other one: Destiny.

"I don't want to lose you this way, Riya. I couldn't afford to lose you this way…" Kurama murmured painfully that made her tears fall once more.

Riya could only close her eyes against the pained tone in his voice. What he wanted from her, for the first time, made her feel fear because she might not be able to give it to him.

But no matter what, she had to choose which life to sacrifice to ensure a victory during the battle. And no matter how many times she would think about it, she was coming up with only one answer.

She would choose her own life as a sacrifice since she knew that she would have a chance to watch over everyone once the battle was over.

"I know it's hard to lose someone you care about, Kurama. I've felt that before. The pain it could give you was too much. But if I would die because of this, please promise me one thing," Riya said before facing the tree once more.

Kurama frowned before approaching her. "Promise you what, Riya?"

"Promise me that you'll never forget me, but you'll move one to find happiness no matter what happens."

Arms found their way around her waist, bringing her back against a warm chest. Kurama placed his head on top of hers and nuzzled her hair. Silence overpowered them for a few more moments as both tried to cope with the reality they were facing now.

"You can't leave me behind, Riya. I don't want to let you go to anyone, even to the hands of Death. I don't want to lose you, love," Kurama said softly but desperately.

Placing her hand on top of his, she sighed.

"I don't want to let you go either. But I've made my decision now, Kurama. It's the truth we'll both have to face no matter how hard… This is what I chose to do…"

Once again, the silence blanketed the two of them as they stood, embracing, staring into the night. After a few minutes, Riya turned around in his arms to stare into his emerald eyes.

"Thank you…" she whispered as she lifted her hand to touch his face. "Thank you for saving me from the loneliness I've felt for so long. Thank you that someone like you came to my life for me to love more than my life. No matter what happens, I'll never forget you… ever… Okay? I love you so much. I always will."

Kurama could only stare into the amethyst orbs of his lover as her words settled in his mind. What did him in was the love he knew was meant for him that was shining in her eyes.

It was the proof that she was telling the truth and nothing else.

"I love you, too…" Kurama whispered as an acceptance to her thanks for he wanted to say the same words to her and so much more.

Placing her head on his chest, Riya allowed herself to hear the rhythm of his heartbeat as it became music to her ears. Wrapping her arms around his waist more securely, she closed her eyes but it didn't prevent her tears to fall for the third time.

In the silence of the night, the two lovers stood in the hold of each other, gathering what little strength they had left to face the harsh reality as both were praying for tomorrow never to arrive. All they wanted at the moment was to be with each other as they relished each other's comforting warmth…

…for this maybe the last time they would have this moment together…

**-x-x-**

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? That way, I'll know that there are still people out there who appreciate my stories; even though this story was just the only one I had ever posted for this fandom. :)**


	29. Stepping Up To The Truth

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:**The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**Author's Note:** This chapter basically contains the letters that the gang had written during the previous chapter. I've written them in order so I hope it make sense in some way. And I'm terribly sorry for being late in updating. College life. In any case. enjoy reading!

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 29: Stepping Up To The Truth**

Yumi's letter 9:16 PM

I was the first to write my thoughts on paper. I should've expected that since I was the one who suggested it. So now here I am. By far, I have to admit that I've been doing a lot of thinking about this senseless battle. At first, I thought that by possessing the Dragon Sword of Flame, I could finally find my father without facing a dangerous battle such as this at all. But then I was wrong.

As the leader of the Legendary Weapon Wielders, it's my duty to protect my mistress—and also my best friend—Riya from many threats using the Legendary Weapon of Fire that my mother Hisakawa Saeko wielded more than twenty years ago. I learned that duty of mine when I was a child; about the same time I learned my true heritage. A heritage that tells me that I am, in fact, a half-human half-fire demon conceived in a different way. In other words, not normally. But I never learned who was my father, though I know what he did for my sake despite the fact about my birth. When the right time comes, I'll let the others know the truth about it.

But then again, I wasn't just going to write about me. Still, I wanted to write down everything that I have in my heart right now. Even though he may not know about this at all, I wanted to let it all out. And since the battle is fast approaching, I don't know what to do anymore. So if you ever read this, Hiei, at least I wanted you to know that I love you even though you kept on calling me annoying and a pest. Weird, I know. But Riya figured it out already so there's no meaning if I tell you the truth… probably for the last time. We did a lot of things together when we were on a journey in the Demon World and you helped me out even though endangered your own life in the process. So thank you for that, though I know it wouldn't be enough.

Four months had passed by so fast. That means we've been facing the battle against the demon shinobi and Riya's illness for that long. I know I could do best against the demon shinobi and I can win. But facing a battle to defy Riya's fate? I don't think so. She had been my best friend since I was 8; she was 5 back then and it would be too painful for me if I lose her now. She had just found happiness with Kurama. So why would I allow the hands of Death to take her away from us—away from me? It's not just Riya. We might lose Kurama in this battle, as well. It just isn't fair!

Two months ago, she told me to be prepared. Her sickness might take her life sooner than expected. But I shook my head at that because I don't want to be prepared. I don't want to lose anyone in this battle. And that means, I don't want to lose my best friend more than anyone.

She fought so hard already and she's still fighting until now. I know she would rather chose to sacrifice her life for the sake of this battle that lose Kurama's life. She wouldn't allow Kurama's life to be taken away by Erithea or any demon shinobi. She'll defend his life to the extent of losing her own if it would come to that.

And I promised her that I'll do the same.

If ever she dies in this battle, I promise her that I'll defend the lives of those she cherishes the most in this world. And that's a pledge of a warrior to her mistress.

—Hisakawa Yumi

**-x-x-**

_Hiei's letter_

_9:24 PM_

Tsk. Why did I let myself agree with Yumi's stupid suggestion? It's not like this is our last will and testament, anyway. In any case, I agreed so I might as well do it. They wouldn't even know what was written here, anyway.

I don't know what's going to happen on the battle tomorrow but I'll make sure I won't let the enemies have their ways. Most importantly, I wouldn't let them Kurama and Riya. I know the prophecy was talking about both of them and not just one. Both of them will die to ensure a victory on the battle. I had Yumi interpret the prophecy since she has a better sense of interpretation when it comes to codes, puzzles and prophecies. And I hated it knowing a senseless battle would take the lives of two of my 'friends' as a sacrifice.

Kurama and I had been close friends for a long time, and it would be hard for me to accept that I'm going to lose him. He's willing to risk his life for the girl that he love. Same goes to Riya. Even though I didn't formally acknowledge it, I consider Riya as a friend. She became an instrument for me to meet Yumi, the half fire demon I'd come to love, though she still doesn't know that. And I'll make sure no one will. Not until this mission is over. Even though Yumi and I bicker a lot since I couldn't stand her, I'm grateful. I would thank Riya eternally for bringing Yumi to me.

And for me to do that, I'll make sure I won't lose to this battle. I will not allow Kurama and Riya's lives to be sacrificed. I still want them to be happy with each other since I know one of them will never be able to move on if the other dies.

As Kurama says, Riya will always be his life. The same goes for Riya. But with this battle, I don't know what will happen and what to expect anymore.

It always goes like that, anyway. I should've known.

—Hiei

**-x-x-**

_Yukari's letter_

_9:32 PM_

I can't believe this endless battle would play out this way. Just the thought of losing my Riya-senpai in this battle made me want to destroy everything. I know my weapon has the power to do that but there's no way I would use the Flute of Melody for such a senseless and selfish act. Riya-senpai would never let me do that because I know she'll be hurt.

I have to admit, it came as a shock to me when I found out that I'm a Legendary Weapon Wielder. But upon learning my family's connection to the Miyuzaki family, I thought that I might as well do my job and fulfill my duty as one of the warriors of the Miyuzaki princess. Onii-chan promised the same thing, too. I might be just 15 years old and the youngest by far among the wielders. But being the youngest didn't give me any flaw at all. They're just numbers, a quantitative amount, compared to the qualitative amount of courage, honor, faith and determination that I have within me so I could do my job. They can't be measured by any scale. I'll make sure it would be immeasurable.

It's been four months since I learned and accepted my destiny as the Wielder of the Legendary Weapon of Music and Sound. And it's been a beautiful thing to me that I found a sister I never had in Riya-senpai and I've been relishing it for that long. I just can't believe it would end up this way. I couldn't afford to lose anyone in this battle because a lot of people would be sad about this. Kurama-senpai or Riya-senpai—there's no way I would choose who to save alone. I can't do that. If one of them loses the other, the pain would be unbearable. One will grieve too much for the death of the other. They just found each other and now death is about to separate them. No way! death may have been the unbeatable opponent ever but there's no way I would give up Kurama-senpai and Riya-senpai to this opponent. Dealing with this force may be hard but I'll still do everything to do it… no matter what it takes.

It has been one of my highest priorities to see my mistress happy and let her cherish the last of her days when we discovered about her powers devouring her life force. And I owe it to Kurama-senpai the biggest reason why she was so happy right now. He's her destined true love—Kurama-senpai surviving the first trial was one of the proofs of that. They still have trials to face but I know and I will continue praying that they would end up together till the end of their life. Or as they say, till beyond eternity.

How I wish I could experience that kind of love for once in my life. But then, I'm contented with what I have right now. Protecting my mistress' smiles and happiness will be my priority until I could find my own happiness someday.

That means I have to protect those that made her happy. And no matter what, I'll make sure I won't die so that I could come back alive and protect my mistress' happiness…

…since it's the least I could do to thank her for making me find the path I'm determined to walk upon.

—Hondou Yukari

**-x-x-**

_Botan's letter_

_9:40 PM_

I don't usually write my thoughts. I prefer expressing them aloud that it end up pretty annoying, according to my friends. But this time, it's an exception. I'll try my best to write what I had in mind with regards to the battle we're about to face. Anyway, no one will be reading this except for the one who wrote the letter.

At first, I thought that this mission would be like theprevious ones we've dealt with before. You know, deal with the bad guys involved and then it's over. But when I learned that Yusuke's cousin Riya-chan might be involved, it was when I realized that it wasn't as simple as that. Everything—from the death of her father and her brother to the disappearance of five of the Legendary Weapons—led us to the truth lying behind this case. And everything we found out has a connection to her. So when I learned that Kurama was falling in love with Riya-chan, I couldn't help but to feel afraid.

I didn't know how things would turn out before the trial happened. But with their love, they managed to survive. Even if I feel fear and I became worried for Kurama, I still helped them nonetheless. I wanted them to be happy and I know that Riya-chan and Kurama could only find true happiness that they've been looking for with each other. Their smiles, their laughs, and their eyes showed evidences of the happiness they've felt for the past weeks. And I couldn't ask for anything more than to see them live up to that happiness for a long time.

But little did I know, my wish would never come true. We are about to face a battle so dangerous and unpredictable as the prophecy had stated. In addition to that, the prophecy also stated a possible sacrifice just for us to win this battle. That's nonsense! I know I've seen a lot of those before because I'm a grim reaper, but it didn't bother me terribly until now… until Death came for either Riya-chan or Kurama.

Those two people—in which those two happened to be my friends—were believed to be the people stated that would become a sacrifice in this battle. Just the though of losing either of them this soon—I don't know what to do. I know and I tried to accept that we're about to lose Riya-chan fast because of her powers that far surpasses her physical limits. But losing her in a battle like this? I don't know if I could even try to accept that and I don't think I can. Even if it's short time, she had been a good friend not just to me but to all of us. And it won't be easy at all to let it go like that. The same goes to Kurama since he's been with Yusuke's team for so long, helping us defeat some of the worst villains that the three realms had faced so far. And since they became friends, they hold a lot of memories together.

Kurama and Riya-chan are some of the dearest friends I've ever had. Meeting them and making them realize that they're meant to be together despite the truth that they've hidden from each other… It felt wonderful knowing that I did something to make them happy. So I wanted to curse fates for all of these events! They've just began their lives with each other, with the one the're meant to love for eternity… So why would a crappy talk about some prophecy take all of that away from them?

I don't know and I don't want to know what will happen starting tomorrow. But I guess Yusuke and the others might be able to do something to stop the prophecy from coming true. I know they wouldn't let Kurama and Riya-chan die in this one hack of a battle.

I know that and I'll hold on to it…

—Botan

**-x-x-**

_Ayako's letter_

_9:48 PM_

Riya-chan and I had started as enemies, as rivals to Minamino Shuichi-kun's attention. I have to admit that I hated her to an unknown extent. For a hidden reason inside of me, I hated her and that made me treat her like an outcast. But even after that, Minamino-kun treated her special. It drove me to my limits made me do something unforgivable. I destroyed her precious treasure in front of her, not knowing that it would lead her to finally come close to the happiness she'd been searching for five years. That's when I found out that it was Minamino-kun who gave her that rose as a symbol of unforgettable friendship, even though it was extremely short-time.

Upon realizing my mistake through my father and learning his connection to the Miyuzaki family, I wanted to disappear because of guilt. I never thought that my father was once the bodyguard of the former head of the Miyuzaki family who happened to be Riya-chan's grandfather. It was my father's position before he married my mother. My father had dedicated himself in protecting the family of the person I once hated until now and he's been doing it without my knowledge. He had his reasons for doing it and I respect that. What matters to me now is that Riya-chan and I are friends as I fulfill my responsibility as her warrior.

That's right. On the day that I decided to ask for forgiveness for what I've done, that's when my fate took a turn I didn't expect at all. But thanks to that unexpected battle, I discovered that I am a possessor of the Wielder's Crystal called the Amber Heart, making me the legitimate wielder of the Legendary Weapon of Light—the Staff of Shimmer. Riya-chan and I, along with the other wielders, had been through a lot together as we tried our best to defeat the demon shinobi terrorizing the city and endangering our friends. I thought it would be enough for me to fight for the sake of my mistress. But upon knowing her true situation, I've been cursing the fates for my mistress' cruel damnation.

She can't just die like that. It's not only me who kept on saying that, but my fellow wielders, as well. Her powers couldn't simply take away her life like that. Not now that the happiness she had wished for had finally come in the form of Minamino-kun. She finally found the love she had been wishing for, the same way I found mine.

If it wasn't for her, I would never find the love of my life, the other half of my soul: Ren. It doesn't matter to me about his past. Riya-chan melted the ice surrounding his heart and brought meaning back not just to his life but also to my life. I've just met true friends through her so I couldn't simply accept the fact that she'll be a sacrifice for this endless battle in order for the good side to win for sure.

Not just Riya-chan. There's also a huge possibility that Minamino-kun might become a sacrifice, as well. Such crap! There's no way I would accept that. They are my friends; the people who made me realize the path I wanted to take for me to soar in my own sky. Their love for each other—no matter what might come to break it down and separate them—made me wanted to fight for my future with Ren and my friends. I wouldn't let the demon shinobi have their ways. Not while I am still breathing to protect those that are precious to me and to my mistress. Even if I would give my life for me to do that, I wouldn't mind. I'd give anything to make her happy.

So I wouldn't allow any sacrifices to be done just to win. There's no way I would allow the lives of two of my dearest friends to be sacrificed like that. I'll make sure they would live…

…so that they could fulfill the promise they've made for each other. That alone would be enough for me to be happy all my life.

—Kirisawa Ayako

**-x-x-**

_Ren's letter_

_9:56 PM_

A wonderful life… This is the gift that Riya-sama had given to me and my sister since she spared our lives three months ago despite her desire to avenge her father and brother's deaths. I've been relishing that wonderful life for three months now though we're still fighting not for a senseless sacrificial act for Erithea but for the sake of protecting the world that Riya-sama cared so much. Riya-sama saved us from the hell we've been living for 8 years so it hurts me so much knowing I couldn't do the same to her.

An ancient prophecy had already predicted her death and I hate it. All of us hated it. No matter how much we jumble and screw up the words to decipher it, it all comes up the same. Only Riya-sama fits the description of the 'white rose' that's involved in this battle. It's not just her. Kurama's death could be another that the prophecy had stated. But I know she wouldn't allow letting him die like that. He has been her life even though their relationship had just started. Riya-sama is a type of person who was wishing to love someone more than her life. It didn't happen just once that she had saved him from near-death. Now that Kurama passed the trial and finally accepted her identity as the mistress of the Legendary Weapon Wielders, I thought they could live together, loving each other despite the ongoing battle.

Her death could trigger a lot of things, especially to us as her warriors. But there's nothing I could do to stop it. No matter how much I wanted to curse her fate, it will never change the fact that we're about to lose her. This was not how it's supposed to play out. There's no way that this could be her fate. She and Kurama still have a lot to live on together until the end of their natural days. It's their destiny to be together forever, no matter what happens. It's their promise for each other and they would fight for it, that's what I'm sure of.

She wasn't just my Lady, my mistress… she's also my best friend. A friend I never had, not even once… She's a friend whom I owe the life I'm living now. Not just my life. I also owe her my happiness. Reason? She brought Ayako to me. She gave me the ultimate source of strength for me to live my newborn life to the fullest along with my friends and the love of my life. This is the life I will proudly call my own.

I would still live in it… even though I couldn't do anything to save her. We've faced so many battles. But I guess this is one battle that we're fated to lose…

…a battle to make sure she would continue living along with Kurama. I just hate it!

—Yanagi Noboru/Ren

**-x-x-**

_Kuwabara's letter_

_10:04 PM_

I wasn't really sure of what to write in this paper right now but like what Yumi said, any thoughts and feelings can be written. Though this time, I wasn't going to write about how much I love Yukina-san even though I really want to. Also, I'm not going to write about how I want to deal with Urameshi again until I beat him completely but not to death. I don't know why but I have this feeling that everyone was writing about their thoughts concerning their pasts, the prophecy… and most of all, Riya-chan and Kurama. I wouldn't mind if I do the same thing since the battle that we're about to face tomorrow has a lot to do with the last two people.

I don't know much about Urameshi's cousin except for the fact that she's the heiress to the Asian and European business empire of the Miyuzaki family and that she's beautiful in her own rights. She was also smart, just like Kurama. But I know that it wasn't about the riches nor the beauty why Kurama fell in love with Riya-chan. She still keeps a lot of mystery to us but I respect the privacy. In due time, I know those secrets will be revealed.

But I couldn't deny the fact that I'm happy for Kurama and Riya-chan when we learned that they ended up together. It was really obvious that they liked each other. Kurama had passed the trial—a proof that he would love her no matter what he had found out about her. I have to admit that I was shocked upon learning that she's the mistress of the wielders and he powers were devouring her life force. For a 16-year-old girl, it would be painful knowing she will die eventually without having the chance to achieve anything.

But learning the meaning behind the ancient prophecy, it was even more shocking that she would lose her life sooner than we thought. Not just her life. Kurama, too. I don't know what's really going on anymore but there's no way I would let the bad guys kill Riya-chan and Kurama. Urameshi died before and it was hard for me to accept it. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let them kill my friends. Both of them were doing their best to protect each other. And as a real man, I would do my best to protect them, as well.

I know that their love for each other would be powerful enough to deal with even the world's greatest forces and enemies. The one thing we could do is to have faith in them. Besides, we'll always be there for them, I'm sure.

It's the only way to ensure our victory for this fated battle from the prophecy.

—Kuwabara Kazuma

**-x-x-**

_Yukina's letter_

_10:12 PM_

I really hate seeing my friends' troubled faces each time there is a fight. But what I hate the most is knowing that one of them would possibly end up dead with the desire of protecting the person important to them. I heard from Botan-chan about the prophecy and its possible interpretations. And I could see now that Riya-san and Kurama-san were hurt and unwilling to accept each other's tragic fate. I know that since Riya-san told me about herself that the others didn't know for some reasons. But time will come, she would tell them the truth. I just don't know when.

When Riya-san first came here because she left the others to protect them, I could always see her amethyst eyes on the verge on crying. The toll of the pain and sadness she had endured for so long was too much for her to bear. Her past, her mission, her destined face-off with the man she loves and her tragic fate—all of it caused her strength to crumble down. But Kurama-san gave that strength back to her. Not just her strength. He also gave her a new life to live with—along with him. I was happy when she told me that she and Kurama-san finally confessed to each other. And there's nothing else I could wish for but for them to be happy with each other.

So I hated the fact that their happiness could possibly be short-lived. It's not fair for them to face this kind of reality. They still have a lot of dreams for each other. They had already planned on how to live their lives when they get married and have children in the future. They even envisioned their own wedding near the place where everything about their love story began. But just like that, Death would crumble it down with ease. It just isn't fair at all!

Tomorrow, they're all going to face a dangerous battle. But no matter how much I wanted to be of help, there's nothing I can do. But more than anything else, I only wish for one thing.

Don't let them die. All of them deserve to be happy as they live their lives to the fullest.

That's my only wish.

—Yukina

**-x-x-**

_Soujiro's letter_

_10:20 PM_

When I first realized that I'm a Legendary Weapon Wielder and that I wield the Legendary Weapon of Water, the Scythe of the Deep Waters, it came as a shock to me. But Captain Yumi told us that it's okay. She told me that, though it's inevitable, it would be okay as long as I have confidence to protect my mistress with the use of the Legendary Weapon. I didn't have any idea about the identity of out mistress at first, but Captain Yumi told me a part of the information—particularly the past—of our mistress. And when I finally met Miyuzaki Riya, it made me determined to protect her as much as Captain does. Upon realizing that, another truth was revealed to me and my sister.

Our family, the Hondou family, had devotionally served the Miyuzaki family in secret for five centuries already along with the Hisakawa family and the Kirisawa family. My parents explained to us that it might have been the key factor why we are chosen to become wielders. Anyway, it didn't matter to me that much. Knowing that I wield one of the most powerful weapons of the ancient times and that I am the secondary leader of the group (as Captain Yumi being the leader) is more than enough for me to know my responsibility as Mistress Riya's warrior.

I dedicated myself to fulfilling my responsibility and I'm willing to risk my life doing so. But no matter how much I dedicate myself to it, it pains me so much knowing I couldn't save my mistress from her impending death. When I learned about the prophecy wherein it was stated that she might lose her life as a sacrifice to ensure a victory, I don't know what to do. I wanted to scream. I wanted to yell. But what would that do to us? Will it prevent her fate? No, it won't. as much as I hate to admit it, it won't help her at all. There's nothing I could do to save her.

Riya-san's tears were more than enough to clench my heart tightly and wring it. But even still, though it was unexpected, I was happy when she finally found the happiness she deserves. My heart was them leaping with joy when she and Kurama opened up their hearts for each other, leading to a love that I know will defy everything just to prove that it's worth it and genuine. At that time, I thought to myself.

Why didn't I fall in love with Mistress Riya at all? I must admit that she has the qualities of my ideal girlfriend. But then I realized, I couldn't treat her more than a sister. I could see Yukari in her. Besides, she was already meant to love someone else. I didn't fall in love with her because Riya-san became an instrument for me to meet the person I'm destined to love. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be able to meet Sei-chan. I don't care if she's a demon shinobi and she was the instrument to the death of Riya-san's father—Miyuzaki Katsuo. My love for her overcame that flaw. Mistress Riya helped me do so.

As for the upcoming battle, I don't know what will happen. But I'll continue doing my duty as my mistress' warrior. I wouldn't let anyone die to become a sacrifice in an unpredictable battle. I'll protect each and everyone that my mistress protected with her life.

I'll do that, no matter what it takes for me to do so.

—Hondou Soujiro

**-x-x-**

_Sei's letter_

_10:28 PM_

When I first came here to the Human World along with my brother because of an accident, I thought it would be wonderful. But when we met Erithea and made us obey her orders for her senseless sacrificial acts to achieve greater powers, she made it a hell. It was the hell my brother and I had lived through for 8 years before I bravely decided to quit, only to end up getting a curse from Erithea to kill me. Onii-chan couldn't do anything to save me and it pained me to know that I'm hurting him with this. But then I said to myself that I would accept it if it would be a way to atone for my sins. I know I deserve to suffer and die because of what I've done.

But I thought otherwise when I met Riya-sama upon finding us. I remembered the amethyst orbs that stared at me in shock, disbelief and tears when I killed her father in front of her 8 years ago. When I looked at them again, I thought my sufferings would end easily since I knew she would avenge her father's death. So it came as a surprise to me when she used the powers drawn from the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem to dispel the curse, healing me in the process. Moreover, she decided to spare the lives of my brother and I from her vengeance. That made me and my brother pledge eternal servitude to her as a way for us to repent for killing her father and her brother.

Since then, my life changed. She changed almost everything about me as she brought out my protective side, brought me friends—true friends. She made me appreciate the life living as a human going under the alias of Yanagi Akane. Most of all, she gave me something that made my life worth living for. She gave me Soujiro-kun, the other half of my heart. For once in my life, I was given a chance to love and to be loved in return. I owe Riya-sama so much and I would do everything for me to repay her for doing all that.

But with what's happening now, I guess she wouldn't be able to appreciate it. Her life force is bring devoured and the ancient prophecy had predicted her death mentioning her as a sacrifice. Kurama might become a sacrifice, as well. But I know Riya-sama wouldn't let that happen no matter what. She loves him more than her life. It would be too painful for her if she would lose Kurama in this battle the same way she had lost her father and her brother. I know that because I can feel it. Her heart was slowly torn apart because of Kurama—her other soul that gave her strength to go through.

Tomorrow, we'll be destined to face a battle so immense and dangerous that I can't tell what would be our fate. I can't afford to lose the person that saved me from the hell I've lived for long and reached out to take me out of the darkness. I can't afford to let Riya-sama be a sacrifice, the same way I feel for Kurama. Losing one of them would definitely cause immense pain and torture to the other. I couldn't bear to watch that.

Our future has now become blurred despite the words stated in the prophecy. Who knows? Maybe one of us—probably one of the wielders or the Spirit Detective and his team—could change everything that is already predicted by the ancients.

—Yanagi Akane/Sei

**-x-x-**

_Yusuke's letter_

_10:36 PM_

Damn it! I just hate letter writings. But since Yumi has a point upon stating that reason why we're doing this, I agreed. Anyway, I couldn't really say everything I wanted to say verbally so this letter writing might be a cinch to express what I wanted to say. When I heard that prophecy, I wanted to destroy the very book where it was written. There's no way they could easily write such passages that has the power to change everything around us.

The battle, the weapons, deaths… I can't simply accept that some old people from the ancients would easily say such prophecy. And to make matters worse, they had predicted either Riya and Kurama's death. There's no way I could accept that. They're just the two of the most important people to me and I can't afford to lose any of them at all.

Riya is one of the most important people to me not only because she's my cousin and that she had saved my ass even before we took different paths. Even when she was shunned by her classmates because she could see apparitions, there was no moment that I doubted her. I listened to her stories about the apparitions appearing to her (not to mention they give me goosebumps whenever I was listening to that) and tried my best to stop her from crying. And now that I found out she's the mistress of the Legendary Weapon Wielders, I'm not going to doubt her. I can promise that. Besides, her warriors had saved the team's asses not just once and I owe her that. She wasn't just a cousin to me. I treated her more like a little sister even though I'm just a few months older than her. But even if we're already teenagers now, she's still my crybaby cousin and I don't want to lose her. Not yet.

As for Kurama, even though we started off a wrong path, he's my friend who stuck with me through thick and thin. We've already faced so many battles and enemies together along with Hiei and Kuwabara. He may not be that tough but his intelligence and sharp mind helped us finish the missions we've dealt with for so many times. He's giving advice and insights about almost everything we encounter along the way. I even admire his love for his human mother that he was willing to risk his life for her. There are a lot of things that I admire about Kurama that I lost count. Because of that, I know I would be hurt if I lose him in this battle. All because of some piece of crap prediction… I can't just let Kurama be a sacrifice for us to win.

I love these two people and it would be too painful for me if I lose any of them. I mean, why? Why would they end up as sacrifice for us to win this senseless battle? I'm unwilling to accept any of these crappy talk because I saw them deal with the trials that their love had faced so far. They were just starting to live their lives as they fell in love with each other. I know what love can do to two people who've felt it. I'm not talking nonsense here. It's because I've felt it since I'm in love with Keiko and she reciprocated my feelings.

Whenever I'm looking at either Riya or Kurama, it was evident in their faces. The love they feel for each other—it was priceless. But with this kind of battle, I doubt if the love they had for each other will be enough. I don't want to doubt our powersand skills that could help us win but I couldn't help it. So what if we possess the greatest powers if it would not be enough for us to save the lives of those precious to us? It's useless, then.

But I'm still hoping… wishing…

I don't want this fight to be something we're never supposed to win. I don't want to fall from this. I'll do everything I can to make sure that both Riya and Kurama will return alive after the battle.

I'll do it… no matter the cost…

—Urameshi Yusuke

**-x-x-**

_Keiko's letter_

_10:44 PM_

There are a lot of things going on inside my mind right now so I'm not sure what to write about in this paper. I'm used to writing my thought but never did it come to me that I have to write something now—now that I'm not considered an ordinary person anymore even though I'm still human. But even still, I'm grateful that I have this new power. Though I have to admit that I'm feeling worried and scared about this, I didn't want things to change. I didn't want my normal life to change. That's why I haven't told Yusuke about my recent discovery and I'm not planning to. I didn't want to be treated any different and I still don't. But I guess I couldn't help it. This is the fate I embraced wholeheartedly.

But never did I realize that I'm about to lose not just one but two of my friends upon accepting may fate as the new master of the Legendary Weapon of the Sky—the Arrow of Wind—and meeting a new friend in the form of my Crystal Spirit Kazemi-chan. I never thought that things would eventually end up like this. I mean, here we are, forcing ourselves to accept what fate is about to throw at Riya-chan and Kurama-kun, all because of what was written as an old prophecy. This upcoming battle we're about to face tomorrow could cause a devastating damage—and this might be where we are bound to lose.

I've lived my life normally for as long as I can remember and helped out Yusuke and his friends to the best of my abilities as a human—as an ordinary person. But one moment—one truth—changed everything. Despite all that, I never let myself hate Riya-chan. She suffered so much already and she's still suffering not only physically but also pure emotional torture. Hating her because of an unexpected twist of events would only double the pain. And I can't bear to let her feel that. Not now, not ever!

I feel things falling apart and I'm not talking about our determination either. I can sense it. All of us share the same fear. I might be different in intensity but it still deals with one thing. We are all unwilling to lose our friends in this battle. So what is it's stated in the prophecy? Then we'll just prevent it from happening using our powers and determination. Kazemi-chan felt the same way as I am and she knew how painful it is to lose those that are important to us. She knew how I felt when Yusuke died because of a selfless act. It still hurts just remembering that again. Watching a friend die would be too much to bear that I might lose my sanity.

As I watch the moon while writing this, there's one thing that always cross my mind. Their love—Kurama-kun and Riya-chan's love—somehow felt like the moon. It illuminates everything and everyone even the darkest of paths. I know their love could do that. But with this dark moment that is about to arrive and strike us heads on… I wanted to doubt if their love would be strong enough to defy their tragic destiny just to be together. Only a few people have the power to do that. I just hope they're among those "few people" since I really want them to be together for a long time—till the end of their lifetime and even probably beyond that.

But no matter what happens, I'll do what I can to prevent their devastating destiny from happening as we try our best of defending the world from impending destruction. This is what I promised to do—now that I have the power to do that.

It's the least I can do to thank Riya-chan for giving me this new life…

—Yukimura Keiko

**-x-x-**

_Koenma's letter_

_10:52 PM_

Everything started with another mission that I thought would be just like the others. Though I knew it wouldn't be a simple one, I know the team could deal with it. But never have I anticipated that it would play out this way. It wasn't supposed to be like this! Not this way! Just thinking about it made me feel like I'm passing out death sentence to Riya and Kurama. I swear I didn't know it would turn out this way at all! I never thought of it that way!

I'm not a psychic who has the power to predict the future but I could tell that it's unforgivable. It should have been for the best if I didn't let them read the prophecy. But that would only worsen the problem. The only consolation I get so far from this mission is that the missing Legendary Weapons were not used for evil doings. My father agreed to this, as well. And I know that Celeste, the powerful deity whose powers were divided equally that created the weapons upon her death 500,000 years ago, would be happy this way.

There are still a lot of things that Yusuke and the others didn't know about the information connected to this ancient deity and the Legendary Weapons. And so am I. Only the wielders, and most of all their mistress, knew those information that I wish to know. But it seems that I'll never have the chance now that the predicted battle is about to happen tomorrow on the rise of the full moon—the first full moon of the month. This is just the first battle and I don't have any idea what will be the outcome at all. What cripples me is the fact that there's nothing I can do to help them.

But the very issue that really worries me was about Kurama and Riya. I'm really worried for them. Even if I wanted to stop them from fighting, I know I couldn't. I could see it in their eyes that they're determined to finish this battle despite the fact that one of them might die because of it. The prophecy triggered their determination to rise to a higher level than before. It was a determination to save the life of the person who became their source of strength… In fact, Kurama told me once that Riya is his life and always will be. His life will end the moment he loses her in any way. As for Riya, she considered Kurama as an extension of her sould. So if she loses him in any way, she figured that she would just become an empty shell of her former self. She will just exist but not live.

That's how important they are to each other and I was surprised that their love could do these much. I never realized that they would go that far for the welfare of the one they love. It's ironic what love can do to someone, huh?

I could just hope that it would be enough for them to save each other when they will be facing one of the greatest trials that their mission has to offer. I'm sure… Riya and Kurama would never give up each other if Death would come to get one of them.

No one would be foolish enough to give up the one they love to the opponent so strong that one must admit defeat regardless of who you are. All of us felt the same way.

—Koenma

**-x-x-**

_Genkai's letter_

_11:00 PM_

I've seen these kids deal with some of the most fearsome battles and dangers that their missions had to offer to them. As for the Legendary Weapon Wielders, even though I've only known them for a short time, it made me think that they're really living up to their duties as Riya's personal warriors. They were even willing to risk their lives to protect her. I don't know much about them, but I'm sure that they're really good warriors and they wouldn't use the Legendary Weapons they had in their hands for causing disaster, only for the better sake of their mistress and the three realms.

What worries me most was the fact stated clearly in the prophecy. This is the first time I've heard such crap! A sacrifice must be made during the course of a battle so ensure a victory? I know there had been cases like this throughout history. It was never easy to accept this but it can't be done. But to Yusuke and the others, this would be unacceptable at all. Yusuke is the type of person who would never allow such trivial things to be done. He would do everything to make sure that everyone will come home safe and sound. And now that Keiko would be greatly involved in this battle as well, even though he doesn't know that yet, it would make him even more determined to do that.

All of us share the same fear for the future and I have to agree on that one. No matter the intensity of that fear, it still affects each and every one of us. But the intensity I'm feeling right now is nothing compared to what Kurama and Riya felt for this sudden turn of events for both of them. Even if they didn't tell me that, I could see it in their eyes. They might try and pretend to be happy as a coping mechanism but it's still obvious. No one was immensely affected by all of this but those two who had just found love in the midst of this unexpected battle, a war that shouldn't have turned out this way.

I don't know who the hell wrote or uttered that prophecy a long time ago. Good thing I don't because if I did, I would beat every crap out of that person to let him or her know that making such a prediction isn't funny at all. That prophecy was so powerful that it's enough to prevent Ayako's precognitive ability, even Yumi and Ryuuzaki-sensei's ESPs from being used. For how long? I don't know. And it's frustrating us even further.

Soon, only one between Riya and Kurama is bound to lose their lives. Though I do not wish to acknowledge that fact, I cannot deny it any longer. Their faith and determination began to falter as each minute passed. I can feel it but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. It's so scary not being able to do anything at all…

…not because you're not sure of what to do, but because there's nothing you can do no matter what you think you could…

—Genkai

**-x-x-**

_Kurama's letter_

_11:08 PM_

As I sit here starting to put my thoughts in this paper, I couldn't help staring at the moon—the silver moon that still gives me hope and strength for me to accept what fate had thrown at me and my beloved Riya. But I know that this paper wouldn't be enough for me to fill it with all of my thoughts, most likely my fears, especially now that we are all about to face one of the greatest battles. Among those thoughts, I have to admit that I've never been this scared all my life. I've lost some of the most important people to me and it hurts, though I've managed to move on. But I can tell that I'll never be able to do the same thing if I lost Riya in this battle. Like what I said to my friends before, Riya is my life.

I never thought it would come to this. Though she silently changed my life when I met her more than five years ago, never did it come to me that she'll be the one whom I want to spend the rest of my life with. Yes, I know. Somewhere in my heart, I waited for her. Even though I didn't know her name at that time, I still waited. And now, she came. Fate brought her to me using the Snow Rose that symbolizes the fact that I'll never forget about her—ever. I just found her so why would they take her way from me? No matter how much I wanted to curse the prophecy regarding the battle, I don't have the power to do so.

Riya and I are an official couple for two weeks now, though I have been in love with her for five years and four months. And until now, I can't still believe it. She's a part of my life now. Her smile, he laughter, her hugs and kisses—all of it felt like heaven I've never experienced before. But sooner or later, everything about that would most likely disappear. I don't want that! I don't want to accept that. Up until now, I never said to Riya what really bothers me because I know it would make her worried and I don't want to see her worried. She's already afraid because of all this and I can feel it. I'm her boyfriend, after all. So it's natural for me to feel that way, right?

Everything about me and Riya was never normal to begin with. I was a fox demon and I still am, only concealed in the body of a human. While Riya belonged to a family of Elemental Spirit Summoners, whose members most likely consisting of every race imaginable. She was already born with powers and eventually trained to become even more powerful. But in the end, here we are, trying to spend our lives together as we share the love that we have for each other. And with each day that passed, I kept on wishing for the same thing over and over. I wish that our moments together would last forever. Until now, even though there's little hope, I still wish for it. Hope is hope, right? What else can we do now but hope for the better?

If there's one thing that this mission had brought not just to me but to all of us, I could say a lot. For one thing, Hiei fell in love with Yumi. I found Riya and we all found good friends and allies who will help us deal with the demon shinobi and Erithea. This mission brought me closer to my life—to my source of strength. And it'll be one heck of a torment if she decided to sacrifice her life in favor of mine. I know she'll decide something like that.

I can't let her go. There's no way I could. She's my world, my life, my everything. I know we just started our lives together and I wanted to make it last. So if she dies, my world stops, my life ends and where would that leave me? An empty shell of the man I once was? She wouldn't make me face that kind of life, I know. But I couldn't let her go. The same way she wouldn't let me. I made a pledge to her, after all. And I'll defend it with my life… because I don't want to give her up even if it's Death who would take her from me.

Either because of the curse of her powers or her destiny from the prophecy, no one knows. But I'm willing to fight just to prevent it from coming true. I'll hold on to her for as long as I could. I'll make her stay with me because she's mine and I refuse to let her leave me. I love her, and I'll never give her up.

We'll fight together. And after this, Riya and I will fulfill our destiny to be together forever. I'll make sure she'll come back alive—both of us.

That way, I know that we have at least forever to live our lives together and love each other.

—Kurama/Minamino Shuichi

**-x-x-**

_Riya's letter_

_11:16 PM_

Here we are. Finally… we are about to finish this endless battle. It's about time that this long night would come to an end. But as each minute passed by, my heart couldn't help but to beat faster as it make me nervous and anxious about what could possibly be looming ahead. Recalling the words stated in the prophecy was what making it worse and I hate it big time.

Five months ago, I discovered that my powers began to devour my life force. Mama, Haruka-neesan and Grandpa couldn't accept that. No healing powers nor magic could stop this from killing me. It made them all worried and scared. But so am I. even my warriors felt the same after I met them and told them the real reason why they have the weapons in their possession. I wanted to live my life like I'm not dying at all. That's why I can't stand that they're so jumpy around me. I don't want to die but it was the hand that fate dealt me. There's nothing I can do about it. But still, I didn't want things to change. I didn't want to be treated any differently and I still don't. Good thing they understood me.

But still, it pains me to know that I'm hurting them with this. Of course, only my family, the wielders, and the demon shinobi siblings Ren-kun and Sei-chan knew about my situation. It was just recently that Yusuke and the others found out about this. Though they didn't find this out the hard way, the pain and disbelief it inflicted to them was just the same as much as it was thrown in surprise. Anger and desperation loomed around them, unable to accept it. And I can't do anything to remove that from them.

For the last five months since I've first accepted what fate first threw at me, I've been wondering about what I did to deserve this. Though I'm aware that I've kept a monster inside of me nurtured because of my hatred when Papa and Onii-chan were killed in front of me. It was a monster I called revenge. But when he came—the gentle fox demon who melted the ice surrounding my heart by his kindness, care and love—that monster was slowly vanquished. I'm aware of his past as well as his identity and I find it hard to believe that he was once the ruthless and cold-hearted leader of the Demon World Bandits a lifetime ago. It's amazing what love can do to change someone's life, huh? At first, I thought I was okay with the fact that I'm dying… I thought I could handle this, but I was wrong. Dead wrong!

I don't want to die! Not now that I finally found the extension of my soul, the largest piece of the puzzle enough to complete me. Despite what I did to hurt him, he still wanted to love me—to be with me. Completing me wasn't enough, he said to me once. He'll do everything to love me completely, to make me feel love I'll remember for eternity. One that I could treasure beyond my grave. He wanted to do everything he could to save me. But I don't want him to get caught up with this anymore. Stupid prophecy! Why would it have to include Kurama with this? He has nothing to do with all of these commotions going on. He still has a life to live.

I still haven't decided about what to do about the passage in the prophecy. I know that this battle we're about to face tomorrow is just the first of the two parts of the real battle. The second and the real final battle will happen on the rise of the second full moon of the month—the rare blue moon which unleashes some of the most destructive powers of the universe. That's when the true battle will begin. A battle that should've ended 500,000 years ago. Even Koenma-sama and King Yama could never do something to prevent this battle from happening. This is what fate had set to us, after all. Our only duty is for us to face it heads on—no matter the sacrifices to be made.

But I'll never allow Kurama's life to be sacrificed in this. I don't care if he'll be mad at me. He can hate me. He can curse me. I'll just do it. I'll save him even if I couldn't save my life after this. I will no longer fight the oncoming death. I'm willing to do as much as that if it will prevent Kurama from becoming a sacrifice for the sake of this mission. You see, Kurama is the extension of my soul, similar to the situation of a Siamese twins who share the same heart. Weird example, huh? But in this case, our hearts and soul became one the moment he passed the trial. And it always will be.

Besides, we're already married. Or so he said to me once. How? He said he married me a long time ago… in his heart. He promised that he'll give me the most memorable wedding ever, one that will always stay in our hearts.

But how will it happen if I'm bound to lose my life after the first full moon? Can he still fulfill that promise? I don't know. But I realized one thing the moment I admitted to myself that I love him.

I couldn't have picked a better person for me to love. I love him truly because he made my life the loveliest one to live in spite of everything. And in my guess, he'll be the one person I'm bound to love forever.

That's all I know and I'm happy with that.

—Miyuzaki Riya

**-x-x-**

**Their battles sure made them all like this. What will happen to Kurama and Riya now that the battle they've all dreaded to happen will finally begin? Will they be able to make it out alive? Or as it was stated in the prophecy, one of them will die for the sake of victory? **

**Tune in for you to know. And please your reviews. I need to know what people think about this story and this chapter, too.**


	30. Even If It's The End

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 30: Even If It's The End**

Even though Riya slept late last night—or rather morning since she slept way past midnight—she woke up ealier than the others. In fact, she woke up way early, just before the sun began rising up to the sky. She was about to get up when she felt something wrapped around her body. Frowning a bit, she turned around in bed and stared at the person lying next to her with his body facing herown.

That was when she remembered that Kurama insisted on staying beside her after they talked last night. It was his arms that wrapped around her body now, his breath fanning her face. He was sleeping peacefully on his side, with a small smile on his face. All she could do was to smile sadly to herself as she continued looking at his face.

Riya carefully slipped out of Kurama's grasp and got out of bed. She successfully went out of the room without creating a noise that would wake him up. When she decided to head out to the backyard, she wasn't surprised to see Hiei sleeping on a tree just near the house. As careful as she could, she passed by the tree where the fire demon was. She really didn't want to wake anyone up by now. They needed all the rest they deserve as a preparation for the battle at the rise of the full moon.

Sighing to ease a heavy heart, Riya headed to the field where Kurama confessed to her. Beneath the sakura tree, to be exact. She didn't know why she decided to go there but it was the place she had in mind at that moment. Probably with the intention of reminiscing the memory and the feeling she had felt back then for one last time. She really didn't want everything to end but that was how she was really feeling at the time.

She decided to stay there for a while as she watched the sun rise up to the sky leaning her back against the tree. The morning breeze felt so refreshing as it gently blew across the green field. This was one of the moments in her life in which she would treasure it to the fullest. Why was it that a person learned to finally appreciate the world's beauty when he/she was dying?

"I thought I'd see you here," a voice said that startled her and made her turn to know who it was.

"It's a surprise to see you woke up early," Riya replied with a smile before Yusuke approached her and sat beside her, his back also leaning against the tree. "What made you come here?"

"I wanted to talk to you since we haven't done that for a long time. And besides, I'm worried about you."

Riya had no outward reaction, though. And that made Yusuke continue speaking.

"I wasn't angry at you at all for keeping all of this from me. You did that to protect us and I appreciate that. If it's me, I'd do the same thing. We all have secrets to keep. What I'm saying is…" Yusuke paused, unable to continue. He then sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Now that we're about to face the demon shinobi's leader, I want you to know that I'll protect you and Kurama no matter what. I'll protect you and we'll all come home safe and sound. I'm not going to let them kill you or Kurama. It's my promise to you. Okay?"

It took a while for Yusuke's words to settle in Riya's mind before she smiled.

"Thank you… Onii-chan…"

Riya called Yusuke "onii-chan" because that was how he was to her back in Hokkaido. If Hiroto wasn't around, it was Yusuke who was protecting her from the bullies. And now, even though she wasn't interacting much with the team, he was still doing his job not just as a cousin but as an older brother, as well.

"I though I'll never hear you call me like that again," Yusuke said before laughing. "I missed you calling me Onii-chan. Now I felt like I've gone back to Hokkaido. You know? During those times Mom and I would visit you during the holidays…"

Riya ended up heaving a sigh upon hearing that. "I guess it won't happen again…" she murmured, making her receive a whack on her head from Yusuke. "Ow! Why did you do that for?!" she asked as she held her head whacked by her cousin.

Yusuke glowered at her before sitting back with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Your fault. I'm trying to stay positive here but you ruined it with your pessimistic attitude," Yusuke said with a glare.

But instead of getting angry with that, Riya just let out a laugh. Yusuke stared at her strangely.

"Sorry. But I can't help it. Though I have to thank you for giving me that. It helped me wake up from my trance somehow," Riya said. With that said, she let her head rest on his shoulder.

Yusuke smiled and from behind, placed his hand on her shoulder as he dragged her closer. "I'll always be your big brother, okay? With or without Hiroto-niisan…"

Riya nodded before staring at the field once again.

"You know, I would be extremely jealous if I didn't know you're cousins and found you two like this."

Both Riya and Yusuke were startled and then they turned around. It wasn't a surprise for them to see Kurama smiling at them as the red head started to approach them.

"Well, it's a good thing you found that out earlier," Yusuke said with a smile before he stood up. "Anyway, better stay with your girlfriend here. She needs you know now more than ever."

Kurama understood that so he nodded. Yusuke approached him and tapped Kurama's shoulder before leaving them.

Kurama sighed before sitting beside Riya.

"You got up early," Kurama started.

"I had a bad dream…" she responded. After a few seconds, she shook her head gently. "No… more like a nightmare…"

"You too, huh?"

That made Riya look at Kurama. His face has worries etched on it, making her heave a heavy sigh.

"What's going to happen now?" she murmured before shutting her eyes in anguish as thoughts ran in her mind.

The only answer she got so far was a hug from Kurama, in which she gladly returned.

_If only this moment would last, then I wouldn't ask for anything else…_ Kurama thought as he relished the comforting aura of his partner. _I love you, Riya. So much. And I can't afford to lose you in any way…_

But that comforting moment together halted to a stop upon sensing an extremely powerful aura drawing nearer and nearer. Riya pulled away and stood up, facing a certain direction where the clouds started to get dark and gather. And then she looked up, to where the moon was.

"It's starting…" she whispered.

That was when the others arrived—the rest of the team, the wielders, the two demon shinobi siblings, and Botan. **(A/N: Of course, with regards to Keiko, I already included her as one of the wielders though only Riya and Genkai knew that.)**

After a short while, Riya materialized the Crystal Spear on her hand and held it close to her before closing her eyes. All of a sudden, the sky grew dark and thunder roared through the sky.

"This is it…" Riya whispered as she opened her eyes and faced the others. "Evryone, get ready," she said.

But before she could take a step forward, she felt someone grabbed her wrist that made her turn about and face the person who did that.

"Don't overdo it," Kurama said. Riya smiled before nodding.

And with that, all of them headed to the direction where the clouds gather.

_**Riya-chan, we need to split up to cover more grounds. Our enemy's attacking in six groups,**_ she heard Keiko said telepathically that made her stop.

_**Six groups? That much? **_Riya asked. _**By the way, where are you?**_

_**I'm with Botan-chan and Akane-chan right now. Yusuke made me stay here where you left us since he doesn't know about me being a wielder already. Anyway, I sensed it using the winds. The winds are ominous but cooperative somehow,**_ Keiko answered.

_**Thanks. I'll inform the others.**_ And with that, she continued to run. Through tekepathy, she informed the others about Keiko's discovery. Of course, she didn't mention who said that to her.

Botan, Sei, and Keiko formed one group. Hiei and Yumi, Ayako and Ren, Soujiro and Kuwabara, Yusuke and Yukari, and Kurama and Riya formed groups 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 respectively. They headed to the suspected directions as a group. As for the first group, they would stay on guard since Keiko and Sei sensed the demon shinobi coming there.

But even though each group were consisting of only two members, they never had a hard time fighting and dealing with the demon shinobi. Their will power had gotten a lot stronger than before, making them even more powerful. And this was something Erithea had not anticipated.

"Curse you, Celeste!" Erithea gritted her teeth as she looked at the situation using her crystal ball, particularly with the vision of Riya wiping out a large group of demon shinobi by firing a silver beam from her hands. Kurama was wiing out another large group using his whip and other demon plants he summoned.

Both Riya and Kurama could see flashes of lights from different spots across Genkai's land. As for the apparitions who were staying there, they were already warned on the ongoing battle and they had evacuated the area for a while. So the apparitions' safety was the least of the team's concerns. What mattered most to them was to finish the battle as soon as possible and assure Riya and Kurama's safety.

Unfortunately, they would be disappointed when Erithea decided to finish this on her own when she saw her army all wiped out.

_**Everyone! Be on guard!**_Sei exclaimed telepathically when more thunder roared through the sky followed by crackles of lightning flashed.

Upon annihilating the rest of the demon shinobi, all of them looked up to the sky as the lightning bolt strike through. They all watched seriously as a woman with long wavy black hair and red eyes draped on long flowing black dress wearing a a spiky crown appeared before their eyes.

"And who the heck is that?" Yusuke asked sarcastically.

"That's probably… Erithea, leader of the demon shinobi," Yukari muttered as she looked up then around the land. "We need to go after the others. I think we're done here," she said before running away from that place. Yusuke soon followed.

Yumi was busy burning the scattered bodies of the dead demon shinobi when Erithea made an appearance. She smirked at the sight of that.

"Looks like she wanted to settle the matter on her own hands," she commented.

"Which is why Riya and Kurama need us now more than ever," Hiei said seriously.

"You're right. Let's go." And then they left their respective areas.

As for the other groups, they headed towards the spot where Riya and Kurama were located. But then several tentacles burst up from the ground and thrust each of them up in the air—something that they had not sensed and anticipated. They all tried to escape but to no avail since the tentacles were steel-hard. Before they could even try to use their powers to escape, the tentacles began releasing electrical blast after blast into their bodies. All of them began screaming in pain as the blast intensified for a minute or so before they were dropped to the ground.

No one from each of the first 5 groups were exempted when Erithea did that to them. The demon shinobi leader just laughed at the sight of the tortured fighters. Even Botan and Keiko were electrocuted. They struggled to get up but was too weak. Botan passed out after the first try.

_**Keiko-sama, can you still move?**_Kazemi asked in a panic and worry for her master.

_**I don't know, Kazemi-chan, but I'll try,**_ Keiko answered determined. _**I can't allow that wretched woman to kill my friends, let alone destroy the world and rule over the 3 realms just like this.**_ And with that, she slowly stood up which was later followed by Sei who carried the unconscious Botan.

"Keiko-chan, are you alright? You don't have to force yourself. You're still hurt," Sei said concerningly.

But Keiko didn't seem to hear her. She just proceeded, heading out to the direction where she sensed Riya's spirit energy earlier.

Riya could only close her eyes as her friends were tortured, covering her ears for her not to hear their screams of pain. Only she and Kurama didn't get tortured because she disintegrated the tentacles long before it could get them both.

_**Everyone, can you hear me? Are you still alright?**_ Riya asked linking her mind to everyone affected by Erithea's torture.

_**We're alright, Riya-chan. As of now, they're unconscious but they'll be waking up sooner,**_ Keiko answered that made her sigh of relief.

At that moment, Erithea moved in to strike in which Riya managed to sense. Out of protective instinct, she stood up and went in front of Kurama.

"Riya, what are you doing?" Kurama asked.

But Riya didn't answer him. Instead, she raised her hands and closed her eyes. It was later followed by conjuring multiple sigils in front of her as her hands began forming a silver orb.

"You think you can deal with me and my powers without transforming yourself to your true form, Celeste?" Erithea asked smirking that surprised not only Kurama but also the other who had just regained consciousness.

_Celeste? The deity who once owned the Crystal Spear 500,000 years ago?_ Kurama asked to himself.

"That's right, fox boy," Erithea responded to his thoughts. It caught him surprised since he didn't realize Erithea could read minds. "Your girlfriend here is the present incarnation of the deity who once owned the Crystal Spear that died 500,000 years ago… Celeste!"

Riya's eyes hardened upon opening them. But she didn't mind the fox demon's questioning stare at her. Right now, what mattered to her was to finish the battle and deal with Erithea as soon as she could.

"Come forth, silver spirits that traverse the night sky and become the spears of light which pierces through everything…" Riya murmured before bringing down her hands with the orb and placed them behind the main sigil. The sigils began spinning faster as it glowed brighter. "Silver Phantom Blast!"

Upon screaming the spell, each of the sigil shot silver beams of light directly towards Erithea.

Erithea stared in surprise as the beams came towards her. "You can still release this much power even in your human form?" she murmured in disbelief but it didn't catch her off guard. "Dark Beam Crusher!" she screamed as a beam of pure dark energy shot towards her hands.

The two beams collided with each other that made the other look at the battle in awe.

"I thought Riya-chan's powers are weak to release that kind of power output?" Kuwabara asked.

"It is," Soujiro answered as he stood up and helped Kuwabara stand. "But… her desire to protect us and more importantly, Kurama, had made her release that kind of attack. On a normal case, though… that attack is already considered suicidal if you use your life force as your power source."

"Which means she's drawing her powers from somewhere," Yumi said.

"…or someone," Yukari added.

The beams colliding created an enormous explosion as they continued to clash, followed by an extremely strong gust of wind from the area of explosion. Both spell casters were breathing heavily as Erithea landed on the ground.

"How come you could still do that much, Celeste?" Erithea asked.

But before Riya could even answer her, her knees lost its strength to support her. If it wasn't for Kurama catching her, she would've fallen to the ground.

"You did great," Kurama whispered to her ear.

Riya smiled weakly before facing Erithea. "I'm not exactly as weak as you think, Erithea. I have lost most of my powers a long time ago and I admit that. But the Alyssum Castle still has some powers which I can still draw upon."

That information enraged Erithea and confused Kurama since he had no idea what they were talking about.

"I'll never forgive you! I'll never forgive you!" Erithea screamed as she summoned a spear of dark crystal on her hands.

Kurama's eyes widened at that and soon, Erithea hurled the crystal as the pair with rage. He used his Rose Whip to strike the crystal, shattering it in the process. Riya cast a shield to protect themselves from the flying crystal shards. One of the shards, however, managed to pass through and struck Riya to her right arm that made her scream in pain. Unconsciously, she fired several wind blades that shattered the rest of the shards to bits.

Riya collapsed to her knees as she clutched her bleeding arm with a worried Kurama on her side.

But before he could say something to her, he noticed a floating spear of dark crystal on the corner of his eyes. To be specific, it was floating a few meters behind Riya. Realizing what was about to happen, Kurama knocked Riya out of the danger with much force as he pushed her aside. It surprised Riya but couldn't do anything as the pain on her arm intensified upon landing to the ground away from Kurama.

Riya tighly closed her eyes due to that. But her heart seemed to have stopped from beating when she heard a dreaded stabbing sound, followed by the sound of someone dropping to the ground.

Despite the pain, Riya tried to get up and looked around. Erithea was gone which relieved her somehow. But after looking around even further, she saw a dark crystal poking out of a body.

Wait…

It wasn't just a body. She stood up in a daze and stared blankly at the body who received the dark crystal as she walked towards it.

Realizing that it wasn't a dream, her eyes widened just as the same time the dark crystal vanished from the man's body. That realization made her fall to the ground as she dealt a crushing blow.

Riya flipped the man's body. Her hands quivered as she carried him to her arms, not minding of the blood flowing to her clothes. Her tears streaked down to her cheeks from her eyes as she screamed the name of the unconscious man in her arms right now.

It was the man who took the fatal attack meant to kill her.

"KURAMA!"

**-x-x-**

**Chapter 30's done! I can't believe I even managed to reach this far. But I'm still glad I managed to do so. Waaah! Seriously, why did I do that to Kurama? What will happen now? **

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**

**And please don't hate me!**


	31. Tears Of The Silver Moon

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 31: Tears Of The Silver Moon**

Riya's screams pierced the stillness of that night as it crushed her heart in the process, followed by a heartbreaking cry.

"Kurama! Please wake up! Kurama…" Riya pleaded through sobs. She gently shook his body but no response came. "Kurama, wake up!"

His eyes were shut and the blood was spreading. She cried harderand brought Kurama's head to hers, burying her face to his bloody chest soon after.

Kurama made a small soft moan as his eyes slowly fluttered open. Riya lifted her head and looked at him with worried eyes.

"Kurama? Kurama, I'm so sorry. A-are you okay?" Riya managed to say as her tears didn't stop from falling.

"I'm glad… you're alright…" he said, his voice barely audible.

"Of course, I'll be alright! You did another stupid thing just to save me!" she yelled. "Just hold on. I'll heal your wounds, okay? Just hang in there!"

She was about to heal him as she placed her hand a little above Kurama's wound when he weakly grabbed it that made her look at him. Kurama weakly shook his head, his eyes closed but managed to show a faint smile.

"D-don't… don't use it…" he whispered. "Y… You need it… more than I do…"

"What are you saying? You need to be healed," Riya said frantically. "Please…? Let me heal your wound…"

Kurama's breath started to become uneven and ragged, making her heart shatter even more. She broke into tears once again with just the thought of Kurama still holding on despite the pain from his wound slowly taking out his strength and his will to live.

Kurama raised his hand slowly with little strength he had and touched Riya's face, wiping her tears in the process before smiling weakly.

"D… D-don't cry, Riya… You know I hate… to see you cry like this…" Kurama said comfortingly but weakly. "Besides… I did this for you. I can't allow that woman… to kill you in front of me. I'd rather take that risk… for you. That's how I love you… Riya…"

"You can't die now! You promised me!" Riya exclaimed in desperation. "You can't die yet. You can't leave me behind, not like this. You promised, Kurama. You promised me! Please… You have to live…"

The desperate pleading of his beloved had nearly shattered Kurama's heart. But there was nothing he could do now. He took the attack meant to kill the woman he loved. He did it out of his own desperation and on his own free will.

And though it killed him knowing his death would crush Riya's heart further, he didn't have much of a choice.

A tear fell from his eyes as he closed them. And then he opened them again with his hand still caressing Riya's face.

"Y… You have to smile… Riya. You really looked more beautiful… when you smile," Kurama said sincerely. Riya only countered those words with a sob. Words must have been stuck in her throat and it made him continue. "But I have to say… sorry now…"

Riya frowned a bit upon hearing that. "What do you mean by that, Kurama?"

Kurama showed a faint smile. "I'm really sorry, Riya… Just this once… I'll break my promise…"

Her eyes widened, full of disbelief as her mind had finally absorbed Kurama's words. She shook her head slowly then fast as tears didn't know how to stop falling. She covered the hand on her cheeks with her own, tilted his head, and kissed it softly.

When she looked at him, she saw those brilliant emerald eyes looked up at her, as it grew duller by the seconds. But the smile—the beautiful, pure, sincere, happy smile was there, carved perfectly on the pale face of her beloved.

Kurama struggled to lean up—and Riya bent down further, trying to close the distance. She felt Kurama breathe an "I love you…" upon her lips rather than heard it, and she closed her eyes, closing in their distance—

But before she could even feel their lips brushed, the body she held went completely limp. His hand that touched her face fell to the ground.

Riya's eyes widened upon a certain realization.

"Kurama…? Kurama…?" she called out as she shook his body gently but no response came out.

Her body was now shaking as she stared at the lifeless body of Kurama with eyes full of horror and disbelief. She was unmindful of the warm, sticky blood still running out from his body and staining her hands and clothes.

"Kurama…" she called out as she started to sob. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for involving you with this, Kurama. I'm sorry. Don't get mad at me. You can't die on me, love. Don't you remember your promise? You told me that you'll take care of me forever, that we'll always be together no matter what happens. You can't leave me like this. Stay with me. Don't leave me, Kurama…" she said in pure emotional pain and torture when she realized that she had lost another important person.

Not just any important person. It was someone whom she chose to spend the rest of her life with. The extension of her sould. The one who made her live her life again for the better.

The silver curse finally took the rose's life…

The silver curse which actually referred to Riya as she was the reason why Kurama died in her arms. He saved her… at the cost of his life…

Comsumed with so many emotions piling up because of what happened, she couldn't hold it in any longer. Riya screamed in horror for all of this to stop.

**-x-x-**

The others arrived to where Riya and Kurama were, only to have their heart sank at the sight of the mourning Mistress of the Wielders. They later heard an ear-splitting scream of horror from the said person that made them come up with a sad realization.

"We couldn't stop the prophecy…" Yumi said.

"It can't be… We're too late…" Ayako said disbelievingly.

They all looked around and they saw scattered bodies of demon shinobis plus scattered crystal shards that sparkle as the full moon shone down on the battlefield. But it wasn't a sight so heart-wrenching as Riya mourning over the death of her beloved Kurama.

Despite the injury, Yusuke slowly went to his cousin and attempted to touch her shoulder with the purpose of consoling her but something happened. Yusuke backed away when he felt electricity surrounding Riya.

"What's that?" Kuwabara asked.

Riya continuedto cry, not minding of her surroundings since she couldn't sense their presence for some reasons. Yusuke tried to touch Riya again but same thing happened and the electricity intensified this time.

"What's wrong, Yusuke?" Botan asked.

"I couldn't touch her…" Yusuke murmured. "She wouldn't let me do so…"

"Riya-chan…?" Keiko called out as she slowly approached Riya whose head was still buried on Kurama's bloody chest.

But before Keiko could even touch her, a silver magic circle appeared beneath the lovers that caught everyone surprised. Light flared all around it and almost at once, a blinding light engulfed the vast land, rendering all of them sightless. They all closed their eyes and covered it with their arms.

"Now what's going on?" Hiei asked, distracted by the blinding light.

After a few seconds, the light slowly faded. But what made them surprised and confused at the same time was the fact that both Riya and Kurama were gone. Only the blod that stained the green grass could be seen.

"They vanished…" Yukari muttered.

**-x-x-**

**I really… really… killed Kurama here. I'm dead! But please don't hate me! It's actually needed for the story. Just read and wait for further chapters to know what will actually happen now that Kurama is dead. For real…**

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	32. Escaping The Hands Of Death

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 32: Escaping The Hands Of Death**

Kuwabara tried to look around but there was no sign of Riya and Kurama anywhere.

"Where did they go?" Kuwabara asked.

"Obviously, not anywhere near here," Hiei said. "That's why we have to find them and we have to do that fast."

"What for?" Yumi suddenly cut in. "Kurama's dead, Riya's broke… We haven't done anything to stop the prophecy."

"So do you want Riya to die just like that?" Hiei pointed out sarcastically. "Like what you said, we're dealing with not just one but two possible deaths. We couldn't stop the first one. Now it's our time to stop the second."

Yumi fell silent after that. It was later followed by a defeated sigh.

"You're right. I should've thought about that," Yumi said before she faced the others. "The only problem is that where will we start looking for them."

No one said a word. All of them were thinking of possible locations. Keiko, however, wasn't only thinking but she was also concentrating as she sensed the wind that blew past. In order to concentrate better, she closed her eyes.

Unknown to the others, Kazemi interrupted Keiko's concentration as her eyes remained close.

_**What's wrong, Keiko-**_**sama**_**?**_Kazemi asked.

_**The wind is sending ill omens… Not only that. Another group of demon shinobi is heading towards us,**_ Keiko answered.

Kazemi let out an audible sigh that only Keiko heared since the former was just speaking through her using telepathy. _**In any case, I know where Mistress Riya and Kurama-**_**san**_** were transported.**_

Keiko was inwardly startled. _**You do? How did you know that?**_

But before Kazemi could say anything, Keiko's eyes snapped open and faced the southwest direction where she sensed the demon _shinobi_ approaching. Of course, it wasn't only her who had sensed that. The other wielders and the rest of the team felt their presence, as well.

"Don't tell me we're going to deal with another group of demon _shinobi_?" Yusuke complained frustratingly. Not only that she hated the idea, he loathed it since his energy had drastically dropped because of what had happened a while back when he was tortured.

_**Kazemi-**_**chan**_**, you said you know where Riya-**_**chan**_** and Kurama are right now, right?**_ Keiko asked telepathically.

_**Yes, Keiko-**_**sama**_**. They're at the Crystal Valley. The portal on the **_**sakura**_** tree where you stayed a while back will lead you straight to it,**_Kazemi responded.

Filled with determination and the desire to protect what was left of them, Keiko made a fateful decision. She knew the others would interrogate her later on but this ongoing battle left her with no choice. Taking a deep breath, she positioned her hand in the air with palm facing upwards.

"Raging wind, lend me your power…" Keiko uttered followed by a golden orb forming above her palm. The glow from the orb made the others, particularly Yusuke, utterly shocked. "Your mistress requires your presence. I call upon thee…" As soon as she said that, wind began to surround the orb that Keiko still held. "Come forth, Legendary Weapon of the Sky, Arrow of Wind!" With that said, the orb began morphing into the form of a beautiful familiar long bow and arrow before the glow "shattered", thus revealing the appearance of the said weapon on Keiko's hand.

No one could say anything—not even one word—when they saw that. But Keiko expected that before facing the southwest direction and aimed the arrow there with her bow.

"Keiko, you're not thinking of using that, are you?" Yusuke said but Keiko didn't hear him, or perhaps she just chose to ignore it. Instead, she began pulling the string of the bow.

Both the long bow and the arrow emitted a bright yellow glow followed by the yellow magic circle appearing beneath Keiko. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the approaching group of demon _shinobi_.

"Supreme Eagle! Arrow Shoot!" she recited as she released the arrow directly towards the enemies. As the flick of her finger, the arrow that was fired multiplied almost instantly into what appeared to be a hundred in number, thus enabling her arrow to strike at the enemies almost at once located at multiple vectors.

"Amazing… But how did you do that, Keiko-_chan_?" Botan asked out of amazement.

"And how come you have the Arrow of Wind?" Hiei asked, as well.

Keiko sighed before facing the others with a sad expression that made them quite worried for her.

"Keiko, did something happen that I didn't know?" Yusuke asked as he approached his girlfriend.

"A lot had happened but I don't have time to tell you all about that right now. You need to head out to the _sakura_ tree on the top of the hill just near Master Genkai's house. You'll find a portal there. Just go there and you'll find Kurama and Riya-_chan_ on the other side," Keiko said.

The others were surprised to hear those words from a human. Sei couldn't help but voice out her concerns.

"But Keiko-_chan_, how did you figure that out?" Sei reluctantly asked.

But instead of answering the question, Keiko faced the southwest direction once more before calling out a name.

"Kazemi."

Kuwabara frowned. "Kazemi? What's that?"

At Keiko's word, a golden orb appeared in front of her before it began morphing into a form of a long haired girl. Afterwards, the glow surrounding it shattered, revealing a familiar small being (familiar only to Keiko, that is). After that, both Kazemi and Keiko glanced at the others who gawked at the sight. Well, Hiei was an exception, though.

"And who's that? Your pet?" Yusuke asked sarcastically. Yukari whacked him on the head hard. "What was that for?"

It wasn't a secret to Yusuke about Yukari's physical strength since they had sparred most of the time during their training sessions.

"At least try to listen to Keiko-_senpai_ for a while," Yukari said seriously before looking at Keiko. "But what exactly are you planning to do calling Kazemi-_chan_ all of a sudden?"

"They left me with no choice, Yukari-_chan_," Keiko replied, her grip on the bow tightened. She sighed once more and faced the others with a determined look that was new to all of them. "You guys should go ahead. I'll hold them here."

"Hold them here? Keiko-_chan_, are you kidding me? Are you really trying to get yourself killed?" Ayako exclaimed.

"She won't, Ayako-_san_," Kazemi said politely. "Just this once, please trust her."

All of them were surprised to hear that from Kazemi. But the small being's eyes—her pleading green eyes—made them trust what the Crystal Spirit said. Yusuke gritted his teeth as he clenched his fist when he realized that Keiko was, indeed, serious about holding the enemies off all alone.

"Keiko, you don't really have to do this. I'll handle them for you," Yusuke said, trying to convince her.

"Just go, Yusuke. Riya-_chan_ needs a brother right now and I know you can be one for her. I won't let them pass through here. Don't worry, I'll come back alive," Keiko said reassuringly. "I'll come back… for the sake of my mistress and my friends."

"But Keiko—"

"Pass this point, we'll need your powers since you guys have stronger attacks."

All of them were reluctant to follow Keiko's suggestion but wherever they put it, she has a point. Summing up the others' level of powers, it would still lead to a fact that they were more skilled when it comes to offensive attacks than Keiko. But before they could even voice out their decision, they saw the Arrow of Wind glowed bright yellow and turned into an orb above Keiko's palm.

"Keiko-_chan_, what are you trying to do now?" Botan exclaimed.

As for the said girl, she faced Kazemi and smiled before looking at the orb with a serious expression. "Winds from the sky… My Crystal Spirit Kazemi… Come to my side and grant me your powers," Keiko recited as Kazemi began to glow and went inside her. "Here I summon the ultimate form of the Arrow of Wind from the Winds of the Yellow Dragon Gem…" she continued before raising the orb to the sky. "Come forth, Spear of the Sky!"

Upon shouting that, the orb glowed even brighter than it was a while back that it became blinding. It was soon followed by gusts of wind getting stronger as it surrounded the orb morphing into a new form. As it was said earlier, the orb morphed into a beautiful six and a half feet long spear. To be specific, a straight-headed spear with a blade that was 2 and a half feet long.

"That's the Arrow of Wind's ultimate form… This is the first time one of the Legendary Weapons was transformed to another form," Soujiro said before sighing. "In any case, we need to go."

Reluctantly, the team and the wielders went as they left Keiko to face the enemy alone. Well, not all of them left her. One of the wielders decided to help Keiko. Keiko was surprised to see someone stood beside her.

"Yumi-_san_, what are you doing here?"

The shorty blonde wielder just smiled and summoned the Dragon Sword of Flame to her hands.

"I just can't let you take all the credit alone, Keiko-_chan_. And besides, I'm your leader. You belong to my team now," Yumi said seriously. "But seriously, I'm sure Riya wouldn't want you to face the danger all alone. No matter what, we'll finish this and come back to our mistress safe and sound."

Keiko smiled to herself and faced the enemy as she took a fighting stance.

_**Kazemi-**_**chan**_**, let's do this together,**_ Keiko said mentally to her Crystal Spirit.

_**I'm with you all the way, Keiko-**_**sama**_**!**_ Kazemi responded energetically and with determination.

Yumi sighed inwardly before calling out a name.

"Come forth, my Crystal Spirit Serafina!"

A red orb appeared in front of Yumi as it morphed into a figure of a girl. Seconds later, the glow from the morphed orb shattered and revealed a girl with crimson hair at thigh length worn loose but with pigtails that were styled higher upon her head. The girl's costume was consisted of a red and yellow minidress, a waist-attached cape, a pair of white long socks and ankle-high boots. She was also wearing black cut-off gloves.

"Thanks for showing up, Serafina-_chan_. I shouldn't be disturbing you but I need your help right now," Yumi said apologetically.

Serafina gently shook her head before smiling. "It's alright, Yumi-_sama_. You can call for my presence anytime you want. By the way, why did you call for me, my lady?"

Yumi's face went sober. "I need your powers… to summon my weapon's ultimate form."

"So it finally comes to this, huh?" Serafina murmured before facing Yumi seriously and nodded. "As you wish, my lady."

And with that, Serafina glowed before vanishing the same time as the sword glowed bright red before turning to an orb.

"Flames from beneath the earth… My Crystal Spirit Serafina… Come to my side and grant me your powers…" Yumi said before raising the orb to the air. "Here I summon the ultimate form of the Dragon Sword of Flame from the Fire of the Red Dragon Gem. Come forth, Scarlet Blade of Flame!"

Ribbons of fire began to surround the orb as it began morphing into its new form—a two-meter long _nodachi_ with red sheath decorated in red jewels. Yumi took ahold of it and unsheathed it, slowly surrounding the blade with purple-turned-red colored flame. Yumi faced Keiko, then the approaching group of demon _shinobi_.

"Let's go."

Keiko gently nodded and smiled.

Both girls took their fighting stances along with their transformed weapons as they prepare themselves to fight.

Meanwhile, Yusuke and the others continued to run towards the northeast direction where the portal in question was located, according to Keiko. But while running, Yukari sensed another group of demon _shinobi_ in different direction.

"They won't easily stop until they take down all of us…" Yukari mumbled before she halted to a stop and faced the direction where she sensed the evil energy.

"Yukari!" Soujiro called out, still running.

"I'll catch up with you guys!" Yukari said before summoning the Flute of Melody. "Symphon, my Crystal Spirit. Come forth to your master!"

It was followed by an indigo-colored orb materializing in front of Yukari and morphing in a figure of a boy. The glow surrounding the figure shattered and revealed and boy wearing a white and lavender tuxedo. He has indigo hair and blue eyes.

"You summoned me, Yukari-_sama_?" Symphone asked politely, bowing slightly.

"It's time," Yukari plainly said and the Crystal Spirit already knew what it meant. "Will you help me?"

"Of course!" Symphon replied with a smile before disappearing. It was later followed by the weapon glowing in bright indigo and morphing to an orb.

"Sounds from our voice… My Crystal Spirit Symphon… Come to my side and grant me your powers. Here I summon the ultimate weapon of the Flute of Melody from the Music of the Indigo Dragon Gem…" Yukari recited and raised the orb. "Come forth, Harquebus of Sound!"

With that, the orb glowed brighter as it began morphing to an harquebus (as the name implied) while surrounded by veils of music notes before the glow faded and revealed the weapon's appearance.

"Let's see if you could come after us when your fried with my weapon's power," Yukari said with a smirk and aimed her weapon to the direction of her target. The Harquebus of Sound glowed and an indigo globe of concentrated spirit energy materialized in front of the weapon. She squinted at the direction of the approaching targets as her grip to her weapon tightened.

"Sonic Crescent…"

The spirit energy orb grew more intensified and it was only a matter of seconds before she released the shot.

"…Smasher…"

The orb started breaking apart.

"…Blast!"

The Harquebus of Sound fired five beam shots from the same firing point directly towards the demon _shinobis_, eradicating all of them almost at once.

"Wow… I know Yukari's really strong but I never thought her weapon still has powers like that," Yusuke commented in awe when he sensed the spirit energy from the ultimate form of the Flute of Melody.

"No wonder Koenma guarded those weapons so much," Kuwabara added.

They could almost reach the _sakura_ tree and like what Keiko said, there was a portal beside it. An icy blue light was surrounding the portal. But before they could all enter, five demon _shinobis_ blocked their way that infuriated the already frustrated Yusuke.

"SPIRIT GUN!" Yusuke shouted as he fired at one of the demon _shinobi_ that blasted into atoms.

"That's not Yusuke's regular Spirit Gun," Botan commented.

"He's already frustrated and confused, not to mention worried for his cousin," Hiei said. As quick as lightning, he went behind one of the demon _shinobi_ and stabbed it through the chest.

But he hadn't anticipated the surprise attack from another demon _shinobi_ and stabbed him through the neck that shocked the other, eyes widened.

"HIEI!" Yusuke yelled, shocked. But much to their surprise, Hiei turned blue and dissolved into water.

That caught the demon _shinobi_ off-guard and he did not have the time to react when someone slashed its chest and its neck. After a few seconds, the dead demon _shinobi_ dropped to the ground. When they looked around, they saw Hiei putting his _katana_ back to its sheath.

"How come? You were stabbed!" Yusuke inquired confusingly. Hiei just smirked.

"The Hiei that first attacked the demon shinobi was the real one. But upon sensing the approaching attack from the other demon _shinobi_, someone used an illusion that allowed Hiei to escape and give him the opportunity to kill the enemyby surprise," Ren explained.

"Illusion?"

"Water Illusion, to be exact," Soujirou said with a smile. "It's one of the tricks that Riya-_san_ taught me, only that I used my own version of it. I warned Hiei telepathically about the incoming attack from the second demon _shinobi_ so I used my other ability, World Transport, to let me create a copy of Hiei behind him as soon as he escaped."

But Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Botan only eyed the Water Wielder with confusion that only made Soujiro sigh exasperatingly.

"I'll explain it further later. For now, perhaps one of you could deal with the other demon shinobi blocking our way," Soujiro suggested sternly as he pointed out what he said.

One of the demon shinobi lunged towards Ren and Sei but the siblings managed to evade. As for the other demon _shinobi_, Yusuke and Kuwabara dealt with it before it could even strike them. The last enemy fired several dark ice crystals towards the rest of the group about the same time Soujiro uttered a familiar spell. Beside him was a beautiful blue-eyed girl draped in a long flowing blue dress whose icy blue hair has reached knee length and she has two braids on the back of her head that held a small amount of her hair to a golden barrette.

"Water from the seven seas… My Crystal Spirit Mizume… Come to my side and grant me your powers. Here I summon the ultimate form of the Scythe of the Deep Waters from the Water of the Blue Dragon Gem…" Soujiro raised the glowing blue orb to the air. "Come forth, Sword of the Sea!"

The blue orb glowed brighter that caused the ice crystals to shatter to bits as streams of water surrounded the orb before it could even reach reach the team and the other wielders. Another batch of dark ice crystal were fired to the gang when the saw the orb morphing into a new form—a sword in which the blade approximately measured a meter and a half. Its hilt was colored blue that seemed to sparkle despite not having too many elaborate decorations on it. On its scabbard, a figure of a blue dragon entwined to it and rune letters were engraved on it.

After transforming the weapon to its ultimate form, Soujiro swung the sword in front of him, releasing a massive blue-colored energy that shattered the ice crystals and killing the last demon _shinobi_ at the same time. Just as soon as Soujiro did that, Yusuke and the others headed towards the portal. But before Yusuke entered, he looked at the direction where they left Keiko.

"Be careful, Keiko. I'll hold on to what you said. Just make sure you come back alive…" Yusuke murmured before finally entering the portal along with the others.

But as soon as they exited the portal, what they saw had actually confused them since they were standing amidst an unfamiliar ruins. All of them looked around as soon as the portal closed behind them. Large building columns were scattered all over the place, but they saw a castle built from marble and crystals located at the top middle spire. Only this structure remained standing even though the other infrastructures were actually destroyed around it.

"What is this place?" Kuwabara wondered aloud.

"It's beautiful but it seemed like it was turned into a ghost town," Ayako commented as she continued to look around. _But why do I have a feeling that this place is so familiar? This is the first time I've been to this place,_ she thought.

"Is it me or I just have the strongest feeling that I've been here before?" Soujiro asked most likely to himself.

"No, you haven't. But your powers once were," a voice said that echoed to the surroundings. The others looked around only to find no one.

And then an orange orb materialized in front of Ayako and glowed. It began forming a figure of a girl before the glow shattered and revealed a young girl only 8 inches tall dressed like a medieval princess. The girl had orange hair at waist-length and were braided around a golden forehead tiara before flowing into pigtails. Her wings appeared as though three leaflets with the color of powder blue with teal tips.

"Don't tell me you're Ayako-_chan_'s Crystal Spirit?" Botan asked as she looked at the girl.

The small girl smiled. "What do you think?"

"You're the one who said something about our powers a while back, right?" Soujiro asked. The girl nodded. "What do you mean by that?"

"But before that, could you please tell us your name?" Ren added.

The small girl did a curtsy before facing them with a smile. "My name is Hikari and I'm Ayako-_sama_'s Crystal Spirit. With regards to what I said earlier, it's not the wielders who had been to this place before. It was your powers. You see, the wielders' powers once belonged to Celeste-_sama_."

"The deity from 500,000 years ago?" Sei asked.

Hikari nodded before continuing. "The powers of the wielders were divided and sealed into small shard from the Crystal Spear just after a destructive force struck the realm she was residing into. It ended up killing her in the process as she sacrificed herself from using her full powers in order to protect her home. Before dying, Celeste-_sama_ supposedly used the last of her magical endowment to send her divided powers that turned into Wielders' Crystals and the 7 Dragon Gems to the Human World for safekeeping and to find a worthy possessor. Your powers originated to this place, that's why this place is so familiar to you."

Ayako and Soujiro looked at each other in surprise upon realizing something from what Hikari said.

"So you're saying that this place was once the home of Celeste?" Ayako asked for confirmation.

"That's right. This place is called the Crystal Valley and the castle you're looking at earlier is the Alyssum Castle where Celeste-_sama_ once resided."

But before the gang could react, they felt the ground shake for a short time then it stopped.

"What was that?" Botan asked.

"Somebody doesn't want to welcome visitors here," Hiei said before reaching for his katana. The others prepared themselves for what was about to come.

After a few seconds, they saw vicious monsters approaching fast. At Yusuke's signal, they charged to battle as their powers and fighting skills destroyed the monsters that were actually made of ice. But to their surprise, the destroyed monsters had the ability to regenerate themselves since the Crystal Valley was covered in thick blankets of ice and snow. Weird enough, the place wasn't as cold as they thought. In fact, it has the ideal temperature: warm and cozy.

They were beginning to get even more tired since they couldn't completely annihilate the monsters as it kept on regenerating itself where the damage was inflicted.

"Are there any end to this?!" Yusuke complained after firing a spirit shot gun.

As they continued to fight, a voice of a woman suddenly echoed in their minds that caught them off-guard for a while.

_**Go to the castle. The monsters wouldn't be able to attack you there since it's a sacred area. Hurry before you ran out of strength to fight.**_

Though hesitant whether to follow the voice or not, in the end they ended up running for their lives. But something happened that they hadn't anticipated. The ground zero blast created by the monsters threw up an intricate ice tree from the tundra that suspended them all up. All were unconscious due to that but they managed to wake up a few moments later.

"Damn it! I couldn't use my Spirit Gun if I'm like this," Yusuke growled when he tried to move and use his Spirit Gun but to no avail. Half of his body was encased in the ice and unfortunately, his hands were also encased.

Somehow, the ice tree possessed the ability to nullify both demon energy and spirit energy in order for the captive not to fight any longer. And when the gang looked down, the figured out the reason for that.

The monsters below were growling as each of them began to climb up the ice tree.

"Hey! I don't have time to be an ugly monster's lunch yet!" Yusuke yelled as he tried to move to release himself. "Oh, come on! Can you please try to cooperate now? I need to escape from here before we become the vicious monsters' lunch," he whined again as he tried to focus his energy to his index finger.

The monsters were coming close but Yusuke and the others couldn't do anything to let themselves escape. They all thought it was going to be hopeless and closed their eyes but then…

"Light from the sun, the moon, and the stars… My Crystal Spirit Hikari… Come to my side and grant me your powers," Ayako recited that made the others open their eyes and faced her. "Here I summon the ultimate form of the Staff of Shimmer from the Light of the Orange Dragon Gem. Come forth, Rod of Light!"

Upon shouting the spell, Ayako's hand that was encased by the ice suddenly glowed in bright orange as an orb was formed there, followed by surrounding the orb with ribbons of stars. The ice that surrounded her shattered as the orb began morphing in its new form. After the glow surrounding it shattered, the form revealed a 5-feet long orange rod with four gold stars, a red jewel at the bottom and gold wings. It was topped with a red crystal sphere inside a gold crescent moon, above which sat a tiny circle with several lines similar to the sun's rays.

Ayako safely landed to the ground and faced the monsters as she raised her weapon. An orange-colored globe materialized on top of the rod followed by light beams from different areas of that field converging to the said orb, thereby further increasing the size of the orb and its attack powers.

"Spirit Summoning Arts? Even Ayako can do that?" Hiei asked, obviously to himself.

"I don't think that's what it is, Hiei," Ren said. "Only the Miyuzaki family are, by far, the masters of the Spirit Summoning Arts. Ayako would take about 20 years to master it alone, 10 years with the help of her weapon."

"Then how do you explain that?"

"She's just collecting and reusing the energies left over by previous attacks scatters in the combat airspace. It also includes gathering energy from one of her power sources, the sun," Sei explained.

The rod was just about done collecting energy when Ayako brought it down in front of her, still facing the monsters. The orb grew more intensified and can be fired any second.

"Solar Marble…"

The orb started breaking apart and then…

"…Force Burst!"

The orb was fired, releasing seven arms of beam shots at once from the same firing point. Two of the beam shots were guided by Ayako as it hit the ice tree, shattering it in the process and releasing her friends that were trapped there. The other five beam shots were fired to the monsters, destroying them to bits.

The rest of the group landed safely on the group as soon as the ice tree was destroyed.

"We need to get out of here before these monsters begin their regenerating process," Ayako said seriously as she let her weapon disappear from her hands.

Everyone agreed and started running away from that place. When Kuwabara looked behind him, he figured that Ayako was right. The monsters were regenerating but more slowly this time.

"Just what kind of monsters are they?" Kuwabara asked as they ran towards the crystal castle.

"Surely, they're not those typical demons I've seen before," Hiei said.

No one said anything more about it since they didn't know what to say. But they, too, wanted to ask the same question Kuwabara had asked earlier. When they were about to enter the fortress, all of them felt something cold as if water washed over them. It made them all stop from running and looked behind them where they saw the regenerated monsters approaching them but stopped midway for reasons unknown.

"What made them stop?" Yusuke asked puzzled.

"The voice earlier…" Botan murmured. "She said that this place is a sacred area and those ice monsters would never enter here."

"But for what reason?" Kuwabara asked, still confused about what Botan was talking about though he did hear the voice earlier.

"We'll know the answer once we entered this place," Hiei said and then ran towards the fortress gate. The others later followed him.

**-x-x-**

**Here's Chapter 32! Sorry for the late update of this one. Even though I don't really get many reviews on this one, I still have the urge to keep posting them here. Of course, reviews are still essential for fanfic authors like me to be inspired and keep writing whatever stories they have in mind. And it's not just in this fandom.**

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	33. An Irrevocable Choice

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though. I also don't own the song "I'll Say Goodbye To The Two Of Us"

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 33: An Irrevocable Choice**

The crystals which made up most of the castle's structures and foundations were icy blue in color, giving the impression of a very cold atmosphere surrounding the area. But just like the temperature outside the fortress, the temperature inside was also warm and cozy. They were all on the castle's courtyard and continued to look around the area. But Hiei suddenly reached out for his _katana_ when he looked at a certain direction.

"Hiei, what's wrong?" Botan asked.

"Someone's coming…" Yusuke murmured as he looked at the directiong Hiei was looking at, eyes narrowed and hands clenched to fists.

But to their surprise, that "someone" who came from the direction they were looking at was actually a beautiful woman, appeared to be 20+ in age but they knew the woman was very much older than that. The woman had straight lilac-colored hair at ankle length tied in a large ponytail and she was draped in a long flowing mint-green kimono. She was holding a silver staff with three-pointed blades on its tip and bright blue core at the point where the crossed arms met. The cross was superimposed on a circle.

"I'm glad you made it here," the woman said gently with a small smile.

"Who are you?" Hiei asked sternly, still holding the hilt of his katana.

"The guardian of the Alyssum Castle, Carissa. And I believe you're here to see Mistress Riya," Carissa stated before turning her back.

"Wait! Why do you think we could trust you that easily?" Hiei inquired once more.

"Because she's the one who transported Riya-_ojousama_ to this place."

The others were surprised to hear that familiar voice. When they looked around, they saw Yumi, Keiko, and Yukari come out from behind one of the pillars.

"How did you made it out here? I thought you're still in the forest fighting those demon _shinobis_," Yusuke exclaimed in surprise.

"Not like that it matters," Yumi said placidly before looking at Carissa. "Anyway, thank you for leading us here and for healing our injuries."

"Healing our injuries?" Kuwabara repeated with a frown and then he checked his body, only to be surprised to see his injuries were indeed gone! "How come?"

The others checked their bodies where they've been most likely injured and they've seen the same thing. All of their injuries were gone.

"But how did this happen?" Botan inquired in awe.

"When you entered the boundary of this fortress, that's when your injuries were healed. You've felt it, right? The cold sensation that passed through your bodies as if you were washed with cold water," Carissa explained seriously to the gang.

Recalling the incidents earlier, they did feel that sort of sensation.

"So this fortress has a healing barrier?" Ayako asked soon after. Carissa nodded.

"Not only that the invisible barrier heals but it also protects ths castle from outside invasion. Those monsters you fought earlier were just some of the creatures inadvertently created due to the tremendous outflow of spirit energy, demon energy, and pure dark energy left during the Dimensional War 500,000 years ago. The Alyssum Castle retained some of the powers that Celeste-_sama_ possessed before," Carissa explained.

"Can we deal with history lessons later?" Yusuke cut in annoyed. "We really need to find Riya and Kurama right now and I won't stop until I brought them home together… dead or alive."

Carissa sighed and turned her back once more as she began heading towards the castle's entrance. It was an enormous door that greeted them. Carissa just touched it and the door opened slowly, revealing a hallway with walls made out of crystals. It took them several minutes before they reached the end of the hallway.

Upon reaching the end, an incredibly wide banquet hall greeted them that made them look around in awe. The place seemed to have been left the same way as it was before the war. It was incredibly beautiful.

"So where exactly are you taking us?" Hiei asked, breaking the tensed silence of the ethereal woman.

"To the heart of the Alyssum Castle," Carissa simply said without looking at him.

After that, Carissa stopped from walking on the middle of that hall. When they saw that, they stopped, as well. Keiko looked down and that was when she noticed the floor was decorated with a large rune circle—the same magic circle the wielders were conjuring when performing a taxing spell. Upon learning that, she decided to look up and she saw the same decoration etched on the ceiling.

They saw the woman whispering something with her eyes closed. She was like reciting a spell but in a different language. It was soon followed by the rune circles on the ceiling and on the floor to glow simultaneously, making the gang surprised. They also saw Carissa's staff emitted a golden glow before bringing the tip down and touched the floor. Before they knew it, they were all engulfed by a bright column of light released by the rune circles. After a few seconds, the column of light faded slowly only to reveal a completely different place to the gang.

"Aren't we supposed to be in the banquet hall?" Sei asked in a whisper.

The glow from Carissa's staff disappeared at the time she opened her eyes.

"Follow me."

They were left with no choice but to do what Carissa said. The hallway they were currently trailing has also crystals for its walls but it was more of a blazing red in color, making the whole place appeared to be inside of a volcano.

"What is this place?" Kuwabara asked curiously as he looked around while walking.

"This will lead you to the heart of the Alyssum Castle where Mistress Riya and Kurama are right now. However—" Carissa paused. "—you must also prepare yourselves for what you are about to seee when we reach the heart of the castle."

They looked at each other, puzzled since they didn't know what exactly those words meant. But in the end, they nodded—albeit hesitantly. But what they didn't know was the fact that finding Riya would change everything they had worked hard for to something unexpected and shocking.

A few moments more, they reached the end of that red hallway as Carissa opened the heavy door. And what they saw upon their arrival wrung their hearts tightly.

Riya was sitting on the floor, still mourning over Kurama's dead body now lying on a rectangular crystal platform. The blood and the wound on his chest was still there. But further analyzing the scene, Kurama only looked like he was just sleeping though they knew he was not. They had no idea how it all happened but all of them feel the same thing. They wanted to avenge Kurama's death no matter what since they couldn't bear looking at Riya in this state.

No one had ever seen her like this before and as of now, they wouldn't want to see her that way again. But with what happened to Kurama, they doubted if they could do something about that.

"I'm begging you, Kurama…" Riya started, almost muffled since her head was still buried in her arms placed on the platform. "Please… You can't leave me like this. You can't do this to me…" she begged in between sobs that nearly shattered their hearts.

Yusuke couldn't take it anymore. So with clenched fists, he attempted to approach his cousin but someone stopped him by touching his shoulder. When he turned to see who did that, he was inwardly surprised to see Keiko looking seriously but sadly at the same time to him before she gently shook his head.

"Keiko…"

"It would only crush her heart more if you take her away from his side," Keiko sadly stated and removed her hand from his shoulder.

"Then what do you expect me to do? Watch her like this probably the same way she felt when she lost Uncle Katsuo and Hiroto-_niisan_?" Yusuke asked slightly infuriated.

"You're wrong, Yusuke," Yumi stated seriously. "She didn't cry this much when her father and her brother were killed. Sure, she was devastated at that time. But I never saw her this broke. In fact, this is the first time that someone's death had completely crushed her heart and her will like this."

No one managed to say anything after that. All of them looked at Riya who was now lifting her head and faced the gang with a grieving expression on the mistress' face.

"_Onii-chan_…" she whispered, barely audible. New tears streaked down her cheeks, covering up the dried ones.

Without knowing, Yusuke walked towards Riya and pulled her to his arms.

"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry I couldn't protect him, Yusuke," Riya said as she continued to cry.

"Sshh… It's not your fault. Kurama would've done it no matter how much you protect him. That's how he loves you, Riya. And I can understand that," Yusuke said sadly.

"But he promised! He promised that he'll never leave me, that he'll never let me cry all alone again. But instead, he chose to break it even though he said he has no intentions to do so or if I ask for it. He lied to me, Yusuke… He lied to me…"

The others couldn't do anything other than to watch her sadly. It would appear to them that Kurama's death became too much for Riya to bear and made her completely breakdown like this. All Yusuke could do was to comfort her the best way he could and ease her pain through his embrace, though that would be close to impossible at the time.

After a few minutes of allowing her to cry like that, Riya finally stopped doing so and lifted her head to face Yusuke. The said boy eyed her with confusion.

"What's wrong?" Yusuke asked.

Riya looked away for a short while before facing him again. "Will it be okay if you leave me and Keiko-_chan_ here for a while? There's just something I need to talk to her alone, if you don't mind."

Yusuke eyed his cousin quizically before glancing to the others. Though they weren't sure if leaving her again would be a good idea, they were left with no choice but comply to that. Besides, she asked them nicely. But what in the world would she tell to Keiko that they weren't supposed to know?

"Alright. I'll leave you here. But make sure you won't cry so much again," Yusuke finally said that made Riya show a faint smile and nod slightly.

The mistress eyed Carissa secretly and the said woman gave a small bow before guiding the others to go outside that room for a while. When she made sure Yusuke and the others were out of earshot, Keiko faced Riya.

"So what do you want to talk to me about? Was it really necessary for you not to let Yusuke know?" Keiko asked in confusion but upon seeing Riya's grave expression, she then figure that it was extremely serious.

Not that Keiko knew Riya so well, but this was the first time she saw her mistress like that.

"I'm going to tell this to you but promise me to keep it from Yusuke… just until Kurama will be revived by Carissa's powers," Riya said gravely and sadly.

Keiko frowned at that statement. "What do you mean by that, Riya-_chan_?"

Riya decided to take a few deep breath before telling Keiko what she had in mind. And it was something that the Wind Wielder didn't expect at all.

"You're kidding… right?" Keiko could only say, her eyes slightly opened wide because of disbelief when Riya told the plan. "You're going to do that much? Tell me this is a joke… that you're not planning something like this…"

"There's no other way. And besides, I'd rather lose Kurama alive than dead… even if I had to sacrifice the one thing important to me. Can you explain it to them after that? I know Yusuke would stop me… that's why I didn't tell him."

Left with no choice and feeling the pain Riya had for her lover's death, Keiko nodded as her eyes were shut in anguish. There was nothing she could do, anyway.

"As you wish… Mistress Riya…" Keiko muttered painfully. She shut her eyes tight in anguish of doing nothing but obey her mistress.

And with that, Riya showed a sad smile followed by her tears streaking down her cheeks once more. At the very least, she was grateful of Keiko's acceptance to her request… even though it would cost them a lot.

"Thank you… Keiko-_chan_…" Riya said sincerely.

**-x-x-**

The gang and the wielders were outside the Sacred Prayer Room (as Carissa told them when they asked the name of that room they just entered) waiting for the conversation between Keiko and Riya to be over. No one had any idea what could those two be talking about. But they do know one thing, though.

The conversation was something serious.

Minutes had passed but till then, neither Riya nor Keiko came out of the room. While most of the others were leaning on the crystal wall, Yusuke was walking back and forth in front of the Sacred Prayer Room's door nonstop.

"Yusuke-_senpai_, will you please stop walking already? I'll be having a headache just by looking at you walk back and forth," Yukari finally said in exasperation as she rubbed her right temple. "No one will go out immediately even if you punch that door or walk in front of it back and forth."

"I just couldn't understand why Riya would only talk to Keiko if she could simply say what she has in mind to all of us," Yusuke reasoned grumpily.

"Not unless she was planning something and she figured out that we'll stop her from doing so… whatever it is," Yumi stated nonchalantly.

But before Yusuke could react to that, the door of the Sacred Prayer Room swung open and caused everyone to fall silent and looked. They saw Keiko went out but all of them were worried and confused to see her sad face, as if she had been to an ordeal of some sort.

"Keiko-_chan_, what's wrong?" Yumi asked in an obviously worried tone.

The said lady raised her head and faced the others. But few seconds had passed and she only stared at them before reverting her gaze to Carissa.

"It's time…" Keiko uttered while facing the woman.

"Time for what?" Kuwabara asked confusingly. But the girl didn't answer.

Carissa slightly nodded with a grave expression etched on her face. It seemed that the woman knew what Keiko meant with what she said. Keiko stepped away from the door, still had the same sad expression on her face.

"Keiko-_chan_, what was that about?" Sei asked with worries evident in her voice.

But the Wind Wielder didn't seem to hear it. Her mind was still plunged deep in her thoughts before subconsciously uttering something.

"The second trial… I wonder how will he survive this…"

They all frowned upon hearing that from Keiko and then they exchanged glancess at each other. Now they figured out that something was about to happen.

**-x-x-**

_Inside the Sacred Prayer Room…_

_**When you wake up**_

_**And find me gone tomorrow**_

_**Don't think I meant to hurt you**_

Right after Keiko went out, Riya decided to stay beside Kurama and have a look at his face for some reasons. Though she tried to make herself believe Kurama wasn't dead, that he was just sleeping and he didn't take the attack for her, it was no use. That was why the pain it caused her was too much, making her decide something which would be irrevocable by anyone once it was done.

_**I just did what we knew I had to do**_

She heaved a heavy sigh upon remembering the conversation she had with Keiko a while back. Painful as it might seem, she was left with no choice but to have Carissa revive Kurama at the cost of something extremely important to her. She just hoped Kurama would understand that.

Slowly, she went to the platform and sat beside Kurama. She leaned a little closer before touching his cheek—his cold cheek that only flashed the truth about the one boy she loved the most.

_**And all this time we knew**_

_**That time was never right for us**_

_**Time to leave this love behind**_

"I'm sorry, Kurama…" she started, her voice began quivering. "I know you'll hate me after this. I can understand that. But… this is something I chose to do. So if you finally opened your eyes and see me once again, try to remain strong and live your life like you did before you met me. The only consolation I would get after this is that I won't know I will be the reason for the pain in your heart to exist by that time. I wouldn't know that I will be the reason for everything to change between us in a great deal. But please… Please try to understand. I'm only doing this for you. I'd rather lose you alive than dead…"

_**I could never leave you**_

_**Baby, if I see you cry**_

After saying that, her tears fell once again with a pained smile on her face. She then leaned closer to Kurama's face.

"Just remember that I'll always love you, Kurama. No matter what trials may come to the two of us from now on, whatever circumstances that may come and separate us again, I know I'll always end up falling in love with you. But if that didn't happen at all, please… try to bear the pain alone and move on. Do it for me, for both of us… Okay?" she whispered before planting a soft yet long kiss—her final and farewell kiss to the man she loved—as her tears leaked to her face even more.

_**I'll say goodbye for the two of us**_

_**Tonight while you sleep**_

_**I'll kiss you softly one last time**_

_**And say goodbye**_

_**Like I know we must**_

_**There's just no other way**_

_**And I couldn't bear to see your heart break**_

_**So I'll wait till you're asleep to say goodbye**_

A teardrop, however, fall to one of Kurama's closed eyes and slid down to his face before it was inadvertently absorbed by one of the seeds in the dead man's hair. After that, Riya lifted her head and had a look at Kurama's face for one final time before she shut her eyes in anguish as she stood up from the platform.

The door of the room opened just after she stood a few meters away from Kurama's spot. From there, Riya saw Carissa entered and approached her while floating a foot or two above ground.

_**Please realize**_

_**How hard it is to do this**_

_**I'm trying to make it through this**_

_**Say goodbye just as gently as I can**_

"You've made a decision, my Lady?" Carissa formally inquired. Riya nodded after a few seconds of silence.

"Let's do it."

With that said, Carissa raised her staff just at the same time the magic circle beneath Kurama and Riya appeared and glowed intensively bright. That glow, however, leaked through the door that made the gang look at it, only to surprise them.

"What's going on in there?" Soujiro asked in slight panic.

No one said a word as they continued to watch the glow leaked through the door. Well, Keiko's eyes were closed at that time so she was not actually among those who watched what was happening.

_**Please try and understand**_

_**This time wasn't just the time for us**_

_**We knew I couldn't stay**_

_**But that don't make it easier to leave you**_

_**So while I can find the strength**_

Back inside, the bright glow continued to grow as it engulfed the entire room. Kurama's body began to float slowly as wings sprouted from Riya's back before spreading itself, revealing its beauty. Those wings were of the similar appearance as the ones sprouted from Keiko's back upon inheriting the Arrow of Wind from Riya before.

The wings of the deity.

Kurama's body started to glow soon after. The blood on his chest seeped back into the wound as soon as it flowed in reverse. The chest wound he had was slowly closing until no scar was visibly seen. The light surrounding him died away to nothing.

_**I'll say goodbye for the two of us**_

_**Tonight while you sleep**_

_**I'll kiss you softly one last time**_

_**And say goodbye**_

And that was the last time Riya ever had a look at Kurama before uttering her final words to the one she loved, even though he would never hear it at all.

"I'm really sorry, Kurama. I love you… so much. Just remember that. I'm sorry if everything will end this way. And…" But before she could say anything more, she closed her eyes and allowed the wings to wrap her body completely.

The wings that covered her glowed as her mind whispered the most painful word she had ever uttered.

_Goodbye…_

_**Before your arms embrace me**_

_**Before your kisses take me**_

_**Before your eyes can make me stay**_

The glow lasted for a few minutes before it faded. The wings parted soon after with Riya's knees to her chest as her arms embraced it. She slowly returned to a normal position, her eyes remained shut and the wings unraveled across the room, sending hundreds of feathers falling delicately to the ground.

The bright light that engulfed the entire room slowly died away as the mistress was gently laid on the ground. The magic circles beneath the lovers faded. Carissa pointed her staff to the door, allowing it to open by itself.

Yusuke and the others ran towards the two as soon as they saw the unconscious Riya and the wound on Kurama's chest disappeared the moment the door opened. But before they could even ask Carissa what happened, the bright blue core on the said ethereal maiden's staff glowed and released several rays of light. A large sigil appeared beneath the group that caught them surprised as light flared all around them.

The blinding light lasted for a few minutes, causing all of them to cover their eyes. It died away soon after, only to be stunned to see themselves back outside of Genkai's house. The door opened to reveal a surprised Yukina and expressionless Genkai.

"What happened?" Yukina asked as she approached the group.

"There's a lot to tell, Yukina-_chan_. But I guess we need to bring Riya and Kurama inside."

The ice maiden complied as she led them to a room. Genkai remained standing on the door as she looked at the sky, now turned dark.

"_A death will trigger to open the path of the dark powerds and will eventually cover the world in a shadow for endless hours."_ That line from the prophecy rang in Genkai's mind.

"This is just the start of the true battle that those kids will face," she whispered.

**-x-x-**

Hours had passed but neither Kurama nor Riya woke up yet. Yes, they knew Kurama would wake up sooner because he was breathing and his heart resumed to beating once again. He was not as pale as he was a while back. They figured that the light which leaked through the door of the Sacred Prayer Room resulted in Kurama's revival using Carissa's powers. But if that was the case, what happened to Riya?

_**I'll say goodbye for the two of us**_

_**Tonight while you sleep**_

_**I'll kiss you softly one last time**_

_**And say goodbye**_

_**Like I know we must**_

_**I'll wait till you're asleep to say goodbye**_

_**For the two of us**_

They had been sitting around for about an hour more when Hiei and Yumi saw Kurama's right hand twitched and they all flew over to the bedside.

Kurama opened his eyes to see familiar faces staring at him. He blinked for a few times before he smiled. They all lit up at the sight of him awakening.

"Hi," Kurama greeted as he sat up.

"Welcome back," Yusuke said with a smile.

"What happened? How come I'm… alive?" the red head asked but he never waited for the answer when he saw Riya's eyes slowly opened. "Riya!" He rushed to his beloved's side.

The others soon followed Kurama and surrounded Riya's bed as they waited for her to get up.

"How did I end up here?" Riya asked the first thing when she got up.

"You don't remember?" Botan curiously asked.

_**Tonight while you sleep**_

_**I'll kiss you softly one last time**_

_**And say goodbye**_

_**Like I know we must**_

_**There's just no other way**_

Riya went quiet after that and rubbed her right temple. But before she could even voice out her answer, Kurama hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Riya. But I'm so glad you're alright. I'm sorry for making you cry like that," he said apologetically and in relief, his voice slightly cracking.

The maiden looked at Kurama in a daze. The fox demon noticed this and let her go before looking at her worriedly. The others noticed Riya's facial expression being given to Kurama.

"Riya-_san_, are you okay?" Yukina asked.

_**And I couldn't bear to see your heart break**_

_**So I'll wait till you're asleep to say goodbye**_

"I'm fine, Yukina-_chan_. It's just that…" Riya said as she looked at Kurama once again.

Kurama couldn't help but to start feeling worried as Riya looked at him… differently.

"Riya…?" he called out, almost in a whisper.

_**When you wake up**_

_**And find me gone tomorrow**_

_**Don't think I meant to hurt you**_

The said girl closed her eyes tightly and rubbed her forehead, then opened her eyes again.

"I'm sorry… but… do I know you?"

_**Goodbye…**_

**-x-x-**

**Is it me or this is perhaps one of the saddest chapter I've ever written for this story so far? What do you think? The featured song here is actually an old song, maybe in the 80's or 90's when it was first released. I really think it's the right song for this chapter so I put it here. Of course, as I had stated above, this song doesn't belong to me at all. You can listen to it, if you want.**

**There's Chapter 33, everyone! Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	34. A Weakened Heart

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 34: A Weakened Heart**

Those words Riya had spoken didn't only came as an extreme shock to everyone, particularly to Kurama, but it also struck them big time. For Kurama, he felt like his heart was stabbed a thousand times over, even worse than the pain he felt when he took the attack to save Riya at the cost of his life.

"What kind of question was that? How come you don't even remember your own boyfriend?" Botan exclaimed incredulously.

"But Botan-_chan_… I don't even remember having one," Riya said in confusion that only tripled the pain Kurama was feeling.

When they looked at the said fox demon, no one could figure out what could he possibly be thinking. But they knew that the pain it inflicted to his heart was too much. No one knew how would he be able to handle it.

"What was the last thing you remember?" Noboru (Ren) asked as he approached Riya who was still confused about what was going on.

The said maiden pondered for a while before speaking. "The last thing I remember is that I was sitting under the _sakura_ tree before Yusuke came and talked to me about something… which I couldn't remember what. And then I find myself here. Did I pass out or something? I really can't remember anything after that."

Yusuke looked at everyone with a "what-the-heck-is-going-on?" look before Keiko decided to approach Riya.

"Maybe you should take a rest for a while. You're probably just tired so you couldn't remember anything much. We'll just have some 'issues' to talk about. Okay?" Keiko said gently as she tried not to let a single teardrop fall because of witnessing the pain in Kurama's eyes a while back. Riya complied and laid down on the futon once more. When she closed her eyes, Keiko put her hand on her mistress' forehead and it emitted a bright yellow glow that lasted for a few seconds before it faded.

Keiko removed her hand from Riya's forehead and stood up before facing the others. "I need to talk to you. All of you."

The other wielders exchanged glances at each other before complying to the fellow wielder's words. The rest decided to just go with the flow. Keiko's stern words somehow meant that what she was about to tell them was completely serious. As for Kurama, though he wanted to demand an explanation from Riya, he figured that the answer he needed to know wouldn't be coming from her.

Little did he know that the explanation he needed would be coming from the person who had spoken to Riya last before her memories got screwed up. Kurama would be able to learn the truth from Keiko, or at least that was what Hiei realized.

They all reached the living room soon after and took a seat on the couch. Some of them sat on the floor and on Hiei's case, on the windowsill. The atmosphere surrounding them was tensed and Keiko had to close her eyes for a few seconds and take a deep breath before she faced them.

"So what do you want to talk about, Keiko-_chan_?" Botan asked, breaking the unbearable silence.

"And what the heck was that? It seems that you know what is going on with Riya for her to act like that. It's not even funny," Yusuke added.

"She's not acting at all, Yusuke," Keiko gravely responded that caught everyone's attention. "She really couldn't remember Kurama or anything with regards to the battle we're facing right now."

"But how did that happen?" Akane (Sei) asked. "She could remember all of us except for Kurama? That's not even a nice joke."

But Keiko didn't say anything for a few moments. They saw her hands clutched her pants since they were placed on her lap.

"Keiko-_chan_?"

"She decided to give up what's really important to her…" Keiko started. "…as a price for reviving Kurama."

All were stunned upon hearing the last phrase Keiko had spoken.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yukari asked.

Keiko sighed before speaking once more. "That's what Riya-_chan_ said to me while we were having a conversation back in the Sacred Prayer Room. When she and Kurama were transported to the Alyssum Castle before we entered the portal, Carissa-_san_ told her that there was a way for Kurama to be revived. But that would only be possible if she decided to give up what's truly important for her."

"So she decided to give up her memories with Kurama-_san_ in it?" Yukina inquired hesitatingly.

Keiko shook her head sadly. "Not just the memories. What she gave up was the most important feeling that she had for Kurama. Her love for him and the memories that she has with Kurama in it were the cost for bringing him back to life."

Everyone in that room, including Genkai who had just entered and heard the conversation, was stunned. Too stunned, in fact, that no one was able to utter anything for a minute or so.

"She… did that much?" Ayako whispered after recovering from the shock.

"No way…" was all Yumi could say.

"But why would she do that?" Kuwabara asked, still in the state of disbelief that only made Keiko's head ache a little.

The answer was already obvious but she decided to let them know what Riya said to her before Carissa did something to Riya's memories. What she noticed, though, was that Kurama hadn't spoken a single word ever since Riya said that she couldn't remember him. So Keiko faced the red head and uttered the words that were extremely familiar to the fox demon.

"Riya-_chan_ said that she would rather lose you alive than dead… even if she had to sacrifice what's extremely important to her," Keiko stated as she remembered that last conversation she had with her mistress. "Sounds familiar?"

Kurama said the same thing to Riya-chan on the night of the Rose Ball," Botan said as she recalled the said incident.

"Why didn't you stop her from doing that?" Yukari asked a little frustratingly.

"I can't," Keiko simply answered. "… and she wouldn't let me…"

"This must be the reason why she only talked to Keiko-_chan,_" Soujiro commented when he fully understood the situation.

"She knew we'll do everything to stop her without even considering what she was feeling," Yumi added.

"Riya-_sama _already lost a father and a brother. She couldn't afford to lose the only person who made her live her life again. So giving up what she treasured the most would only erase the pain she felt," Akane said sorrowfully.

No one spoke a word for a short while once again.

"You said a while back that even the memories that Riya had with regards to the ongoing battle were also erased," Kurama said, speaking for the first time but in a slightly strained voice. Keiko nodded as an answer. "What do you mean by that?"

It took a while for Keiko to answer Kurama's question.

"Those memories were the cost of removing the curse of her powers from her body. So don't be surprised if you hear an altered version of some events from her."

"Altered version? What's that supposed to mean?" Hiei asked with a slight frown.

"Carissa-_san_ altered her memories as she removed what was really needed from Riya-chan's mind for the deal. With the exception of Kurama, Riya-_chan_ will most likely remember all of us. But the reasons how we met her will be different from what had really happened. So her memories about the battle, and the Legendary Weapons were erased from her mind. Even the deaths of her father and her brother will end up altered and she would only remember them to be deaths from certain unfortunate accidents," Keiko explained gravely and then she looked at the others.

Kurama didn't know what to say after hearing all of that from Keiko. But knowing all of that in one sitting didn't actually help him in any way at all. In fact, it only tore his heart further apart knowing that Riya gave up her love for him for his sake… just like before.

_In the end, you lied to me, Riya…_ Kurama thought painfully as he remembered the conversation that he and Riya had the night before the predicted first battle. _You said that you'll never forget me no matter what happens. Why did you have to say those words when you will end up breaking them in the end?_

But no matter how much he cursed himself for being the primary reason to let Riya decide something like that, there was nothing he could do. Not a thing. In addition to that, a realization made him feel as if it actually pierced his heart through and through, causing immense torment to slowly engulf his whole being.

No matter how much he hated the idea, it would always flash brightly in front of him even if he had to run away to avoid it.

Kurama lost Riya in the end.

He might not have lost her physically but having her made that fateful choice in favor of bringing him back to life proved too much that he still lost her in this battle. He failed, to sum it all up.

And he hated it. So much.

With a heavy heart and a grave look on his face, Kurama stood up from his seat and proceeded to the door.

"Where are you going" Hiei asked.

"Anywhere," Kurama answered. _Probably somewhere where I could disappear forever for me not to feel this pain any further,_ he added in his thoughts before sliding the door open and closed it behind him as soon as he got out.

The clouds continued to loom over the sky, draping the world in a smoggy darkness that seemed to depress him even further. But before he could even take one step, it started to drizzle and afterwards turning to a light rain in which he didn't seem to mind. He just walked away from that place—or rather from the shocking truth he had learned which was enough to weaken his heart that truly and strongly loved for the first time.

Without knowing, his walking soon became running as rain continued to fall from the sky. He didn't care about him getting wet and all since he knew the rain wouldn't be enough to get rid of the pain he had in his heart. He just ran and ran with no idea where to go at all. Anyway, it didn't even matter that much to him.

All that he cared about at that moment was to run and disappear into the darkness in order for him not to deal with any of this any longer. That way, he could at least keep his sanity still intact, hoping that running would provide an escape from this horrid reality. He would have given anything just to disappear, to forget everything that had happened in the last two months.

But the reality that Kurama wanted so badly to forget was the fact that this horrible battle didn't only destroy the one thing that was making him happy, but also magnify the feeling of loss to the point where it destroyed him from within. It was the reality that he had never anticipated at all.

And all he could feel was a relentless sting tha kept throbbing within his body surely enough to cripple him in the next few day, maybe weeks…

…or even months. Who knows?

Right there and then, Kurama felt that the world and the life he returned to have all shattered in front of his eyes. That was when he figured out that his world would never revolve the same way again.

**-x-x-**

**That's it for Chapter 34… one of the saddest and angsty chapters in this entire fic, so far. **

**Special thank to ****AnimeGmr101**** for reviewing the last chapter, and even in some of the previous ones. I really appreciate it. Sorry for the angst in the last chapter… and I guess even in this chapter. I still can't believe I did that to Kurama and Riya. I still want to cry for them because of what I did to them.**

**And to the other readers, can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I want to know about it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	35. Bearing The Loneliness

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though. I only write for pleasure and fun—but a few reviews would surely pay off all my hard work on this one.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**Special thanks to the reviewer/s:** AnimeGmr101

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 35: Bearing The Loneliness**

It has been a week that passed since Keiko told the truth to the gang and it was quite obvious to see a lot of changes not just to Kurama but to Riya and the rest of the gang, as well. And of course, the whole school could see that with which the fangirls, particularly Reina, took as an opportunity to be with Kurama and steal him away from Riya. Though she didn't know about Riya not being able to remember the one man she loved, Reina knew that something happened for the couple not to talk or even glance at each other for the whole week. And she just thought that Riya and Kurama broke up or something.

Fortunately, the whole Class 2-C and Class 2-D were all "geared up" to stop Reina from doing anything surely sinister for their favorite couple. Yumi allowed Ayako to tell the altered version (without the battle and others) of the truth about Riya not being able to remember Kurama exclusively to Class 2-C and Class 2-D only. They wanted to feel sorry but it would only make matters worst. So instead, they wanted to do what they could to bring Riya and Kurama together once again though they knew they had to wait until one of those two dared to talk to the other. In other words, either Riya or Kurama should make the first move to renew what they had lost.

But would that be even possible if Kurama refused to have just a glimpse of Riya?

No one knew how Kurama bear the tormenting pain in his heart for a week now. He even forced himself not to talk to or look at Riya in order not to intensify that pain even more just because the love of his life couldn't remember him at all. And probably, she would never be able to remember him at all no what he would do.

He didn't know how long would he have to go on like this. He never knew how did he manage to endure this torture without losing his sanity in this painstaking process. He probably needed to thank Ayako and Soujiro for doing what they thought they could to divert his attention to something else. Keiko came to talk to him twice and said the same thing: _**I'm sorry**_.

But Kurama could never blame Keiko for what happened to Riya. She didn't do anything bad in the first place. She just obeyed her mistress' orders and allowed Riya to do what was necessary to shield the latter's heart from any more pain. And he understood that now, more than ever.

_I recall when you said_

_That you would never leave me_

_You told me more_

_So much more like when the time_

_You whispered in my ear_

_There was heaven in my heart_

_I remember when you said_

_That you'd be here forever_

Though he said to himself that he understood, Kurama couldn't still deny the fact that it hurt him to the core. Waking up feeling the pain intensify, it was too much. And each night that passed, memories of his love for Riya appeared in his dreams over and over.

It was like a movie of his life played non-stop. Unfortunately, this movie didn't have a happy ending… unlike how he wanted it to end for him and Riya—all because she left him for his sake.

_Then you left_

_Without even saying that you're leaving_

_I was hurt_

_And it really won't be easy_

_To forget yesterday_

_And I pray that you would stay_

_But then you're gone_

_And oh, so far away_

Riya left him. Not in a physical sense, though. Her heart was the one that left and it took a part of his life along. Now he couldn't figure out a way on how to live his life the same way again without remembering the most precious memories that he ever had.

And at the same time, without feeling the pain it could cause to his heart…

It was hard, nevertheless, he has to deal with it. A lot of people were willing to do what they could to help him recover, though that would surely take him a long time to do so.

_I was afraid this time would time_

_I wasn't prepared to face_

_This kind of hurting from within_

_I had learned to live my life beside you_

Kurama hadn't anticipated any of these tormenting events to happen. And surely, he didn't prepare himself for that kind of possibility at all. This was what he had feared all this time. But in the end, he failed to overcome his fear.

More than ever, he hated himself because of it.

_Maybe I'll just dream of you tonight_

_And if into my dreams_

_You'd come and touch me once again_

_I'll just keep on dreaming_

_Till my heartaches end_

Tears fell from his eyes as he remembered the words written on Riya's note. It was the note she had written the night before the battle that made everything turned out like this. His heart ached even more as he remembered them as if it was just spoken to him personally by Riya.

All of them feared for the same future. But none had anticipated of losing Riya this way. Kurama got the note from Miss Ryuuzaki since she was the one who kept it even without reading all the notes that they hanged on the maple tree. The teacher thought that it would be best if he had an idea about Riya's thoughts even though Yumi stated that only the writer of that note should read it.

But never did he realize that reading it would only make him love Riya more than ever.

He was at the school's rooftop staring blankly at the clear blue sky—or that was how it looked like to other people, particularly to humans with no powers. But to those who could sense the dark energy slowly engulfing the whole city, the clear blue sky was merely an illusion.

It was a high-level illusion created by the wielders' combined powers upon realizing that Erithea's powers were continuously growing. But without the mistress' powers as a deity and the Elements of the Silver Dragon Gem, they have their doubts if they could face the enemy heads on, especially now that Riya couldn't remember anything with regards to the weapons and the ongoing battle.

Kurama's death—as they further analyzed the passage from the Book of Ancients he borrowed from Koenma—did become a trigger for Riya's unknown control over the barrier protecting the Human World to loosen because of her grief. It was a separate type and level of barrier cast by the deity in order to close off the portal to the dimension where Erithea's remaining powers were sealed. And since it was starting to get weak, that sealed powers were slowly leaking and now also slowly but steadily engulfing the whole city.

For the past week, no demon shinobi made an appearance and cause a disturbance. At the very least, he was thankful with that since he really didn't have the will to fight as for now. Hiei, Yumi, and Ren were the fox demon and the wielder's mistress' secret bodyguards as the three of them watched over the progression of their enemies' powers and they were also trying to devise a plan to defeat them on the second part of the final battle all at the same time.

It was the middle of the lunch break when Kurama decided to leave the rooftop and head back to the classroom to study for their quiz for that afternoon's last period. He still needed to maintain his grades despite what happened.

He already reached the botton of the stairs when he saw a group of giggling girls appraoched him from out of nowhere. At the same time, Ayako and her friends Kirika and Miwako were about to come near him when those girls saw Reina's group started flirting with Kurama.

"Hey, Minamino-_kun_, we were wondering if you could join to have lunch with us. You don't have anything to do right now, do you?" Reina queried as she moved closer and cling to Kurama's arm as she ran her finger to his chest, much to his annoyance.

Kurama wanted nothing more than to push Reina away from him and probably slap her if things got worse but he knew he couldn't do that. Even if the whole class would help him deal with this fangirl predicament of his, he didn't want to do something that might ruin his good reputation and image in a worst way. If he could still keep his cool, then he would do so.

When Reina and her flirtatious friends were approaching him like this, he doubted if he could really keep his head cool.

"Sheesh! Why does this world never ran out of flirts and bitches?" Kirika interrupted in an obviously annoyed tone that made Kurama smile inwardly.

"You again?" Reina remarked, irritated. "When will you even decide to give me a break with your annoying side comments?"

"Yes, it's me again. And seriously, I should be the one asking you that question. Besides, it's not annoying. I'm only saying the truth," Kirika stated with folded arms over her chest.

Reina faced Kurama as she placed some hair strands that covered her face behind her ear.

_What an obvious flirt!_

"Minamino-_kun_, tell me you don't agree with what that girl said to me. I'm sure she's just referring to your slutty ex-girlfriend who really forgot about you after you two became a couple for two weeks. Right?" Reina said and smiled seductively.

Ayako's eyes twitched in anger while Kurama's eyes hardened and looked at the girl with disgust as he tried not to lose his self-control and literally hit Reina right on the face.

"Riya's not my ex-girlfriend and she's not a slut. And for the record, I have to agree with what Kirika-_san_ said. I'm sure she's referring to you and your friend. So let me go before I do something to you that you'll definitely regret because of messing with _**my girl**_."

Reina stiffened in fear when she heard those stern and cold words from Kurama. "Y-you don't mean that, do you? Right, Minamino-_kun_?"

Kurama wasn't glaring but the look on his face was grave and serious. The frustration was there and it was the kind that would make anyone who looked at the fox demon nervous and anxious about what was looming ahead. His serious expression as he glanced at the annoying girls was enough to send down an icy chill to Reina's spine.

"Get your hands off me," Kurama ordered icily.

That did it.

Reina immediately release her hold on Kurama's arm and walked away along with her friends who had gotten scared with his unusually cold attitude. It was when the group had completely went away that Kurama heaved a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe I did that…" he murmured before he heard the three girls laugh. He then looked at them strangely. "What's wrong?"

Ayako was the first to stop from laughing and took a deep breath before she faced him.

"Nothing, really. We just… found it unusual for you to be that cold," the Light Wielder said with a smile.

"But I could say that it's understandable, given the fact that Reina really pushed your control almost to the limit," Miwako added.

"Well, I guess Reina won't be able to do her flirting for the time being after that," Kirika said.

"But seriously, why are you here?" he asked.

That was when Ayako remembered something. "Ah… That? Someone actually needs a little help with her Biology subject since she's cramming a bit because of it. So we thought that maybe you could at least give her some assistance and offer her your expertise since that subject is your specialty. Will it be okay? Biology's not exactly our forte so we recommended you to her."

Kurama didn't say anything for a while regarding that. But since he needed to at least divert his attention to something else, he might as well accept it.

"Alright. Where will I do the tutoring?"

"Class 2-C. She said she's comfortable staying there for the duration of the tutoring session rather than doing it in the Biology Room," Kirika answered.

He nodded and proceeded to the said room. Ayako smiled inwardly before turning around and headed to the opposite direction as Miwako followed her.

"Ayako-_chan_, do you really thing it's a good idea not telling him about two of our afternoon periods being cancelled and turned into free periods?" Miwako asked in a whisper.

But Ayako just smiled. "He'll be able to figure it out soon. It's a good thing the class knew what to do when we agreed to bring someone to help her with her Biology subject crisis."

"I feel kind of bad, though," Kirika muttered before laughing weakly.

"What do you mean?" asked Ayako quizzically.

"I feel kind of bad for not telling her that it's Minamino-_kun_ whom we were going to ask to solve her cramming issue. Isn't it that she's avoiding him for some reasons?"

The brunette Light Wielder just sighed before answering. "Whatever the reasons, Minamino -_kun_ might be able to find that out soon. All we can do right now is to help them be together again." _That way, we might be able to see Kurama smile once again_, Ayako added in her thought with a wistful smile.

The two other girls smiled before nodding.

"You're right. It would be nice if they find themselves together as couple again… though right now, I know we can't rush them. What had happened to Riya is still painful to Minamino-_kun_. But there's still hope, right?"

"As long as we do our part to help and not distract them."

_Let's just hope he wouldn't be too surprised when he will open the door and see her in there_, Ayako thought to herself.

As for the unknowing Kurama, he reached the classroom in minutes and noticed that there was only a few students that scattered outside the rooms though he didn't find that unusual. But there was something that he definitely found unusual.

Class 2-C was quiet. Too quiet, as a matter of fact, for a lunch break period. But then he sensed that there was someone inside the room.

_That must be the student who needed tutoring_, he thought and slightly sighed before he slid the door open.

"Thank goodness. I thought no one would come to help me with this," said the student inside the room before raising her head from the stack of papers whe was reading and faced him with a warm and welcoming smile.


	36. Smile, Once Again

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though. I only write for pleasure and fun—but a few reviews would surely pay off all my hard work on this one.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**Special thanks to the reviewers: **AnimeGmr101

**Special thanks to those who put this story to their list of favorites: **sentimentalsoul**,** **Selena Moonlighty****, ****KamiAnn**, **Katara Melody Cullen**, ******XxHeartMenderxX**

******Special thanks to those who put this story to their list of alerts: **Selena Moonlighty, mydnightfox, Katara Melody Cullen

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 36: Smile, Once Again**

Kurama's eyes widened at the sight of the only student who was there in that classroom that greeted him. It was indeed surprising to see Riya in there. When he looked around, he only realized it then that the class used Riya's Biology subject crisis as an excuse to have her close to him again.

Even before he and Riya became a couple, he already knew that her waterloo was Biology, that's why he was there to do the tutoring. He was her personal Biology tutor back then. But even though that subject was her waterloo, she had always shown interest in plants, most especially different species of flowers.

"You're… the only one here?" Kurama finally managed to say after recovering from surprise.

Riya nodded before putting down her pen and placing it on top of the papers she was writing on earlier.

"I told Ayako-chan to help me find someone who's excellent in Biology to tutor me. I never realized that you're the person she would ask to do it. I'm really sorry for the trouble," she said apologetically before laughing softly, catching Kurama off-guard but he didn't show it.

He then decided to slid the door close behind him before going towards his seat just in front of Riya and removed the space from the space between her table and his table to place it aside. He lifted his table and placed it adjacently to Riya's table before taking the chair he placed aside earlier and put to opposite to the girl. After that, he sat on his seat.

The girl just watched him do all that the whole time and she couldn't help but to smile faintly. Thankfully, Kurama didn't notice that.

"So… when will we start?" Kurama asked slightly hesitating but managed to hide it from Riya.

"Umm… will it be okay if we start after I had some lunch? You see… I haven't eaten yet," Riya said sheepishly as she scratched her temple. "If you want, you could join me since I guess you haven't had lunch yet, as well."

"You could tell?" he asked.

She nodded before putting the papers underneath her desk and taking out her lunch from her bag.

"You've been like that for a week now. Of course, I could tell," Riya answered that surprised him.

He never realized that Riya was observing him for a week now. But how come he didn't notice that? His thoughts were disrupted when the girl held out a small plastic bag with slices of pound cake in it to him. He looked at it for some seconds before he faced her.

"It's a pound cake I made last night and I thought I could share some with you," she said.

Reluctantly, Kurama took it from her and Riya took out another from her bag. He was surprised when he saw her put chopsticks on his side of the desk. But before he could even ask what was it for, it would appear that she read his mind and answered.

"Share with me?" she asked with a smile as she opened her lunch box to reveal delicious food that he knew Riya made herself.

And though it really came out surprising, Kurama decided to just go with the flow and take this chance to start over again. He nodded as an answer that earned him a sweet and happy smile from Riya. So the girl put the lunch box in the middle of the two joined tables and both of them started eating.

It was understandable, though, that an uncomfortable silnce surrounded them for a short while. Kurama would even glance hesitantly at the unmindful girl. But soon after, he was starting to feel comfortable talking to Riya even though she was the one who was starting topics to talk about.

It was like she knew he was still a little uneasy being near her. But at the very least, he was thankful that Riya was doing something to slowly remove the barrier that had been put up between them ever since he learned the sacrifice she had done for his sake.

The lunch was done and it was undeniable to Kurama that he had a good time. He was about to open the plastic bag where the sliced pound cake was placed when he noticed that their classmates hadn't arrived yet even though it would be time already for their next class.

"That's weird," Kurama mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Riya asked.

He faced her before speaking. "It would be time for our next class and yet our classmates aren't here."

"Didn't you hear? The next two classes after lunch will be free periods since it was cancelled because of the departmental meeting for the teachers. That's why I decided for us to have lunch first before the tutoring session," she explained while returning the empty lunch box inside her bag. "So I'll be in your care for the whole two hours."

Kurama was dumbfounded upon hearing that from her. But he managed to recover soon before Riya smiled as she faced him.

He opened the plastic bag and took out one slice of pound cake. But upon seeing the cake, he frowned a bit. The cake was a mixture of red, maroon, and pink in color. It has almost little to no scent when she secretly smelled it. So he just shrug off the though entering his mind with regards to that and decided to take a bite.

But he was stunned when he finally tasted it.

_Rose? The cake was just sweet enough. In fact, it was really delicious. But the scent that trailed through upon tasting it… No doubt about it! The rose scent was natural,_ Kurama thought as he looked at the cake. _It was like the scent was taking me back and making me remember that time… when Riya and I first met…_

"So? What do you think of my rose cake?" Riya asked that startled him and disrupted the flow of his thoughts.

"Rose cake?"

Riya nodded and took a bite of the sliced cake on her hand. "I was thinking of roses when I made that. I used rose jam when I kneaded the batter and added a little rose water on it. After baking, I sokaed it with rose water solution to release the scent of roses upon tasting it."

Now he understood. "I see." And without knowing, Kurama smiled. He smiled after a week of not being able to do so because of the loneliness he was feeling.

"Thank goodness. I thought I'll never be able to see you smile like that at all," Riya said in obvious relief that made him face him. But then he was surprised to see a gentle smile on her face with a hint of relief, sadness and… guilt?

"Like what?" he asked.

"I thought I'll never be able to see you smile," she answered which actually surprised him. "You know, I was feeling guilty since I thought that how I acted a week ago in front of you had actually became the reason to use your smile."

Kurama was only staring at Riya intently since her words really surprised him. Hasn't he been smiling for a week now? He didn't know that at all, though he knew he had gotten a little aloof and cold these past few days. That was because he felt like he needed to shield himself from any more pain he was about to feel.

"Keiko-chan and Master Genkai told me a week ago about you. Though I was kind of wondering how did you end up to be my friend and my classmate when I couldn't even remember your name. So I guess that someone who was near the tree hit my head hard and I ended up having selective amnesia of some sort," Riya continued.

He, too, heard that Keiko decided to further alter the story to Riya though he wasn't at Genkai's house when it happened. Keiko also decided not to tell Riya about his real name but the girl know about him being a demon. The team discussed it to him and he just agreed to Yumi's suggestion that his relationship to Riya should be just as friends for now.

Though he had to admit, that decision tore his heart further to shreds but he never showed how painful it has been for him. No one has to know.

"And since I couldn't help feeling guilty for not being able to remember you as one of my friends, it made me avoid you somehow. I don't know… I guess it was foolish of me to think that way. I'm sorry."

Kurama could tell Riya was serious. And though it still gave a sting of pain in his heart, he thought that maybe this would be a time for them to start over again.

Back to square one, as they say.

And if that would be the reason for him to get close to her again, then he would do it. But this time, he has no plans of making her fall in love with him again. Only her heart could dictate to that. There was no way he would be able to control her heart for making her love him once more. He would probably leave it to fate's hand for now.

He sighed inwardly before he looked at her amethyst orbs intently once again.

"You know… We could start over again, if you like," Kurama said after thinking things over, breaking the silence between them.

"What do you mean?" asked a confused Riya.

"Let's put it this way. You couldn't remember me as your…" He stopped and slightly shook his head. "…as someone close to you. But we could still be close. We'll start over again, get to know each other. It might take a while to… umm… renew what we lost but…" But he couldn't continue what he wanted to say. So instead, he just smiled sheepishly and took a bit of the pound cake on his hand.

What he didn't expect, though, was to see Riya laugh as if she saw an amusing sight. And after that, she looked at him.

"You're right. But you see, it wasn't easy for me to get rid of the guilt that I had inside of me and it made me unable to talk to you or even look at you for a week now. If it wasn't for the request I made to Ayako-chan about finding me a Biology tutor, I wouldn't be able to build up my courage to talk to you like this," she said.

"I thought you didn't know I would be your tutor?" Kurama asked slightly confused.

"I don't. But I have to admit that I was planning to corner you here after I'm done with my Biology crisis or probably after the last period. Good thing it was only a plan since I am having doubts if I could actually do it. I must be crazy when I really did something like that."

This time, Kurama didn't only smile at Riya's remarks, he laughed as well.

The girl was happy to see him laughing. Riya didn't lie about feeling guilty for Kurama to lose the luster in those beautiful emerald eyes and not being able to smile—even laugh—for the past week. She didn't have any idea what came into her mind for her to make that rose cake last night but then she thought it didn't matter now. At least it helped her to finally open up her thoughts to Kurama.

"So it's a deal then?" Kurama started after regaining his composure after laughing.

"Yup!" she happily answered.

After all that talk, the two happily finished eating their cakes before proceeding with the tutoring session. Of course, they would have two hours for the whole session since two of their classes were cancelled. The rest of Class 2-C decided to head out somewhere else in order not to disturb their favorite couple during the session. It was what they called 'quality time' for those two.

The class arrived in the classroom just right after the session was done and Kurama knew it was done intentionally but he decided to let it go. Besides, if it wasn't for them, he wouldn't have Riya all to himself for the whole two hours and a half. The last period went well as Riya and Kurama got the highest scores for their pop quiz, as expected.

After that afternoon's last period, Miss Ryuuzaki asked Riya to help her check some papers and rewrite the entire class list. Kurama headed to a club meeting along with Kaitou but before he finally went out of the classroom, Riya called him that made him face her.

"After this, will it be okay if we walk home together? I mean, just the two of us… without Yusuke and the others tagging along," she inquired with a shy smile.

At first, Kurama didn't know how to react to that. But then Kaitou nudged him secretly and smiled. So he faced Riya and nodded as an answer that made the said maiden happy. The two guys then proceeded to go to the meeting.

"You know, I was surprised when I heard from Yusuke how your mission turned out. And to think Miyuzaki-san's memories would be altered like that… How are you doing now that you two are starting over again?" Kaitou started as they walked to go to the meeting venue.

Kurama sighed at that. "A lot has happened and I don't know how I managed to bear it all to myself until now. But I guess I should just stick with us being friends for now and start over again. It might take some time but I'll be patient enough to wait."

The bespectacled guy smiled and nodded. "Patience is a virtue, as they say. But without Miyuzaki's powers as a deity, do you really think you could survive the battle by the next full moon?"

"I don't know, Kaitou," the red head answered dejectedly and truthfully. "And I doubt Riya would be able to remember anything about the battle at all. But it's better this way. She wouldn't be involved in the mission anymore so she'll be safe."

"If you put it that way, then I might as well agree with you. Let's just hope it wouldn't be too late to stop those demon shinobi from taking control of the three realms and steal the Legendary Weapons from the wielders."

"You're right."

More than an hour had passed before their respective activities were done and Kurama immediately rushed to go to the classroom. When he arrived, he saw Riya already standing outside the classroom. Upon looking up, the girl smiled at him before approaching him.

"I thought it would take you forever to finish with the club meeting," she said jokingly as she stopped in front of him. "Did it go well?"

"Yeah, it did. Though there were some issues wherein we didn't agree, it went well in the end. Shall we go?"

Riya nodded and both of them started walking together away from the classroom. Along the way, they talked about a lot of things—all about getting to know each other but Kurama decided to lessen the information he was giving to her so that she wouldn't be involved in any danger. It wasn't a secret to the maiden that he friends were wielders though she has no idea what they were or how did that happen. The wielders said that it happened without her knowledge in order for her not to endanger Riya with the battle. Keiko still resumed her training with Yumi and Master Genkai for the whole week after school, using Ayako's teleportation ability to go to the old lady's land with ease and in shorter time.

While they were crossing the bridge, Riya unconsciously looked to the horizon as the sun turned orange and now beginning to set. But by doing that, she was struck with a sense of familiarity that made her stop walking and face the sun in a daze. Kurama noticed this and felt worried.

"Riya, what's wrong?" he asked as he also looked at the sunset. But that only made him remember something.

The bridge where they were standing at was the exact same bridge where he and Riya had their first real conversation that made them close.

"This place…" she started murmuring. "Why does this place—this particular event—felt so familiar as if I've been with you like this? Like we've been together like this before?" And then she faced Kurama. "Shuichi-kun, had we ever been to this place like this together before?"

He didn't know how to answer her.

The others told him not to go to places which would remind him of his real relationship with Riya. But he couldn't help it if he went to this bridge since this was a part of the route to his house. He looked at her eyes—her pleading amethyst eyes that expressed her desire to know the answer to her question. And he has this feeling that he must not fail her.

But what would he say? With this situation, he has no choice but to slightly tweak the truth. In short, he has to lie… no matter how much it would hurt him.

"No," he answered painfully, though Riya didn't know that. And she didn't have to know.

Though Riya smiled, the girl still has her doubts with his answer. She could feel that it was not the true answer she was looking for; her heart told her so. But whatever was the red head's reason for not telling her the "truth" to her question, she needed to at least respect that.

After all, what they were doing right now appeared to be all too sudden since both of them weren't actually speaking, let alone look at each other, for one full week after she said that she didn't remember him at all. She knew she had hurt him back then, and the pain she inflicted to him was still evident in those emerald eyes of his.

Putting their thoughts at the back of their minds for now, both of them proceeded to walk together. They continued to talk about stuffs Riya could think of wherein he could still keep up with her line of thoughts. More often, they would talk about issues where his opinions were actually required.

When they reached the apartment building, it was time for the two to take their leave.

"I'll be going now. Thanks for accompanying me till here, Shuichi-kun," Riya said with a smile and gave a small bow.

Kurama returned the gesture. "Be careful, okay? See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow." And then she gave a quick peack to his cheek that caught the red head surprised and unable to absorb what had just happened. Riya just giggled and hurriedly went upstairs.

She reached her apartment and went inside as quickly as she could before leaning her back to the door, closing it. Without knowing, she dropped her bag on the floor and touched her cheeks. She could feel the heat rushing to it as it intensified.

_Why in the world did I do something like that?_ She thought, still blushing as her heart was pounding at an erratic rate. But then, the same sense of familiarity rushed through her that stiffened her once again. She didn't know why she was feeling that way.

It was as if all of these had happened to her and hat fox demon before. Did it?

She shook her head rashly and took a deep breath before heading out to the balcony of her room.

As for Kurama, he was still in mild shock even after Riya left. And when he finally came to his senses, a smile carved on his face before unconsciously touching the cheek kissed by the said maiden. Before he knew it, he was looking up to the balcony on Riya's room.

Soon after, he saw her came out and looked at him when she finally spotted him. The girl smiled and waved at him. He just slightly waved at her and he was about to turn around to leave when a voice spoke to him mentally which slightly surprised him.

_**Be careful on your way home, Skuichi-kun,**_ Riya said that made Kurama look up again.

He smiled before answering the same way. _**I will. Thank you. But before I leave, can I ask you something?**_

Riya frowned a bit at that. _**Sure. About what?**_

_**Will it be okay if I ask you to accompany me somewhere this Saturday?**_

_**Like on a date?**_ Riya commented before giggling mentally.

_**Sort of. Only a little bit different and yet special. So… would you like to go out with me?**_ he asked in a hopeful tone.

Riya pondered onto it for a while, and Kurama was anxious to know her answer.

_**Alright. Just… don't tell Yusuke about this,**_ she said.

_**I'll make sure they wouldn't figure it out.**_

Both of them exchanged smiles and waved at each other before Kurama took a turn to leave and go home. After she made sure that he was gone, she hurriedly went inside her room and started screaming, dancing, and jumping in excitement. It was a good thing her room was soundproofed as her request before she transferred there. Soon after, she lied down as she caught her breath for a few minutes or so before looking up at the ceiling.

"This is the start…" she murmured before placing her hand on top of her closed eyes. _But then I wonder. Why Yusuke and the others wouldn't let me know Shuichi-kun's real name? They're keeping it a secret from me even though I already know he's a fox demon. What's the big deal if I could just call him Kurama? Would it trigger something?_

There were a lot of questions inside her mind but then she chose to put it aside for now.

What mattered most was that he and Kurama would be able to start over again. She knew he was a part of her life. She just couldn't figure out who he was to her before. But this date would be something that would allow her to discover more about Kurama and their 'friendship' of some sort.

Perhaps it would.

**-x-x-**

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


	37. His Heart's Resolve

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though. I only write for pleasure and fun—but a few reviews would surely pay off all my hard work on this one.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 37: His Heart's Resolve**

The next three days, everything went well for Kurama and Riya as they talked to each other with no care about what was around them. And it was a completely good thing for the team who had just heard about Riya finally talking to Kurama after a week of not doing so. They didn't know Riya's reason for that but then it didn't matter now.

On the other hand, Kurama was undeniably happy that he could be able to talk and be close to Riya like this again even though they would only be considered as friends for now due to some circumstances.

The day after the tutoring session, however, someone spotted them and didn't like the blossoming closeness between the two for the second time. And because of that, a somewhat diabolical plan had been set to ruin that blossoming closeness. Unfortunately for Kurama and Riya, that plan would be set in motion later that day.

The day before their date.

It was lunch and the gang decided to eat their lunches under the tree near the soccer field. And much to their surprise, Yumi joined them. The blonde transformed to her taller form before she appeared to them.

"Yumi, why didn't you bring Hiei with you?" Yusuke asked when he looked around and didn't see the said three-eyed demon.

But she just shrugged and continued eating. Riya, on the other hand, knew that there was something wrong with Yumi that concerned Hiei though she decided not to ask her about it. But much to her surprise, Yumi talked to her telepathically.

_**He was letting me choose which to prioritize the most**_, Yumi started that made Riya frown a bit and looked at the blonde.

_**What do you mean by that?**_She asked.

_**He was forcing me to chose between my love for him and my father whom I have to fight in order to save. There's no way I could do that. It's so hard…**_ Yumi answered desperately in her mind but remained stoic.

Riya sighed inwardly and continued eating. _**But why would he force you to choose between two of the most important to you?**_

_**He figured that I might be able to forget about him once I defeated my father and accepted the position of being the clan leader. And I guess he would just leave me without a word once he learned the true story of my birth.**_

_**You mean Hiei doesn't even know that part? And wait! How did he figure out that you love him?**_

Yumi sighed before looking at Riya. _**I broke down after the battle a week ago, saying that I got so scared of dying without even letting the person I love know that I love him. Hiei said that he was having the same fear when I almost got stabbed by one of the demons we fought. And of course, you know the rest. Confession here and there.**_

_**Is that so? So I guess Hiei also has his own set of fears.**_

Yumi chuckled upon hearing that in her mind from Riya.

Yusuke and the others got so busy talking with each other that they didn't have any idea about Yumi's predicament. It was a good thing that they didn't or else, all hell would break lose.

"Hey, guys. What are you going to do after school?" Keiko asked once they were all done eating.

"Arcade," Yusuke and Kuwabara answered in unison.

"Don't you two ever get bored of going to the arcade?" Yumi queried sarcastically.

"No," the two said in unison again.

Keiko rolled her eyes while Riya just chuckled.

"I have to head to the shop after school to deal wit some problems there," Ayako said.

"As for me, I have to practice for the recital two weeks from now besides practicing for the closing ceremony of the Rose Festival," Yukari answered.

"I will be cramming for the Quiz Bee that will happen a week from now," Akane said.

And with that, Keiko faced Soujiro. "What about you?"

"I still need to keep my team in shape for the upcoming match so I'll be busy practicing with them," the blue-haired Water Wielder answered. "By the way, why are you asking us this?"

Keiko scratched the back of her head and laughed. "Nothing much. But you see, I need help with my assignment in Literature and I'm not even good at poetry writing."

"Maybe I can help," Riya suddenly declared.

"Really?" Keiko exclaimed. Riya nodded.

"It's better that I do something else while waiting for Shuichi-kun to finish with his tutoring session with a ew student."

"Tutoring session?"

Kurama nodded and faced Riya sadly. "I don't really have much of a choice about that."

"Then I'll wait with her. Don't worry, she'll be fine with me," Keiko assured before smiling.

After that, the class continued. When it was over, they all headed to their respective tasks just as planned. Riya and Keiko headed to the library to do Keiko's Literature assignment. The two girls were having fun doing so without disturbing the other students there.

But since they were having fun, they didn't even notice one of Reina's friends, Eri, sitting not too far from the two girls with a cellphone in hand covered with a book.

_Let's just see if you could still hang out with Shuichi-kun after this, Miyuzaki-san_, Eri thought with a crooked smiled on her face.

It was a good thing, two girls were ready to back Riya up just in case something happened.

**-x-x-**

_Biology room…_

Kurama went inside to start his tutoring session with a new student but his eyes suddenly narrowed when he saw a familiar girl who really get on his nerves. Reina just smiled but then he knew there was something sinister beneath that smile of hers.

"Oh, Minamino-kun! You finally came! I thought I'm gonna have to wait forever." And without words, Reina flung her arms around him.

He tried to let go but Reina wouldn't let him do so. And so, he was left with no choice but to push her away from him, which of course, surprised her.

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

But Kurama only gave her a cold stare, just like the one he gave before. "If you're not here for tutoring, then I might as well take my leave."

Though that scared the hell out of her, she just laughed and sat on the chair.

"I was just messing around. Please? I really need some help with Science," she said.

Kurama raised an eyebrow since he didn't actually believe her for one second. But then he was left with no choice but to tutor her, no matter how much he disgusted her guts and manipulative attitude.

They spent minutes going over formulas, laws and principles, and Reina just listened. Kurama was observing her, though. He knew something was wrong but then he couldn't do anything. But he wouldn't allow to let his guard down.

"You know, I was just wondering why do you still hang out with that slut knowing she wouldn't even remember you?" Reina whispered into Kurama's ear, changing the topic and starting to annoy him.

"How did you know that?" he asked coldly, trying to ignore the insult she threw about Riya. "As far as I know, only a few people knew that information."

Reina sneered. "I have my sources. But now that she couldn't remember you, I guess it would be for the best if you will forget about her, too. You could have my help for that, if you want."

"Stop talking nonsense and don't you dare speak about her that way," Kurama said menacingly, his fist clenched and quivering but he was trying to remain cool.

But Reina smirked and took her phone. She then carefully pushed some buttons and sent a message without a fuss.

**-x-x-**

_Library…_

Eri was busy 'reading' when she felt her cellphone vibrate. She looked at the message sent by Reina before she sneered at she put her cellphone back into her pocket.

_This is where it ends, Miyuzaki-san! It's showtime,_ she thought as she took a piece of paper from her bag and read it wherein Reina had forged the Science teacher's handwriting into three days ago. After reading it, she tood up and approached Riya.

"Miyuzaki-san, the Science teacher asked me to give this to you. Maybe you could head out to the Biology room and have Minamino-kun read that, as well," Eri said handing the paper to Riya. The girl took it and read it over before facing Eri.

"I'll go right ahead," Riya answered and stood up to leave. She didn't stop even when Keiko talked to her telepathically.

_**Riya-chan, are you sure you'll head out there alone? I have a bad feeling about that paper,**_ Keiko said with worries.

_**I already figured out the trick behind this, Keiko-chan. So don't worry. They wanted me to play their game, then fine! Let's just say that I'll give them a taste of their own medicine,**_Riya responded.

_**I'm still worried. You want me to come along?**_

_**Sure. The more, the merrier, as they say.**_

Soon after, Keiko followed Riya while Yumi were just a little far from them. When Riya reread the writings on the paper she was holding, her eyes narrowed as her grip on the paper tightened, almost crumpling it.

What exactlt did Reina want for her to go to the Biology room?

**-x-x-**

"Maybe we should stop this tutoring shit and let's do something even more fun," Reina declared seductively as she put her hand on Kurama's, making him get up from his seat in order to get away and calm his nerves from all these pathetic stuffs. But Reina blocked off his exits, eager to let him stay with her.

"Don't make me do something you'll regret in the end, Reina," Kurama firmly warned, frustrated. "If you're not that interested in the session, then better let me through."

But those stern words didn't scare Reina this time. Instead, she cornered him and began touching his chest. Kurama silently gulped but still couldn't do anything to leave her. He couldn't afford to use his powers on her or else it would be trouble for the whole team.

But before he could even do anything, Reina moved closer and planted a kiss on his lips. At that same time, the door slid open and he saw Keiko and Riya stood there. Keiko was shocked while Riya's face, particularly her amethyst eyes, were devoid of any emotions. He immediately pushed Reina away and approached the nonchalant Riya before he saw her recovered.

Kurama stopped to his tracks upon seeing that. Riya showed off a small smile to him before passing by him and went to the table as she placed the paper that Eri gave to her on it.

"You really know how to do this kind of stuff, huh? Doing everything just to have what you want," Riya said nonchalantly.

"As long as it would make me have what I want," Reina retorted with a sneer and then she approached Kurama as she tried to flung her arms around him but he backed away slightly.

Kurama stayed near the door beside Keiko.

"But you know, going as far as forging a teacher's handwriting could lead you to prison. I believe—" Riya paused and suddenly she smirked that took Reina aback. "—you almost went there when you forged your own father's signature three years ago in one of the cheques just for you to pay your debts to a friend."

Reina was obviously shocked in horror when she heard that from Riya. Keiko and Kurama just frowned upon hearing that as they exchanged glances to each other.

"H-how did you…?" Reina couldn't continue. She was just standing there as she began to quiver.

"Oh, that? Just like you, I also have my sources… only the more reliable ones than the sources you have for you to discover my memory loss," Riya answered confidently. "But I guess that doesn't matter. It only proves that no matter what you do to force yourself to Shuichi-kun, he would never look at you the same way he looked at the woman he loves," she continued seriously with a softened expression.

Kurama, on the other hand, was surprised to hear that from Riya.

But those words only enraged Reina even further and made her do something. She took a large flask that was placed on the table and charged towards Riya with the flask raised. Riya instinctively closed her eyes and it wasn't long before she heard the flask crashed onto something, causing it to shatter. But much to her confusion, it didn't hit her arm which was raised earlier to protect herself.

With that, she decided to open her eyes only to be surprised to see Kurama in front of her. His arm was raised to block himself from the hit. When she looked at Reina, she saw her looking wide eyed at Kurama.

"Why? Why do you still protect her even though she couldn't remember who you were to her at all?" Reina frustatingly asked. But the red head only gave her a grave look enough to scare her.

Riya looked at Kurama with worries and slight confusion because she, too, wanted to ask him the same question.

"Unfortunately… that doesn't concern you at all," Kurama answered icily. "If you do something like this to Riya again, I'll do something that will make you regret you met me."

No words came out from Reina even after she hurriedly left the room. Silence surrounded the three student left after that.

"O… kay… That turned quite… unexpected," Keiko started, breaking the silence. Along with that, she faced Riya. "But how did you figure out that part of Reina's past? I don't remember you having done some research anything similar."

But the only answer they got from the said girl was a sigh before Riya faced Kurama and looked at his right arm, causing her eyes to open wide at the sight of it bleeding profusely.

"Oh, no! We need to get this treated right away," she said in slight panic as she held his bleeding arm. "Please remove your coat."

Kurama hesitantly complied. He also rolled the right sleeve of his shirt for Riya to have a better access on his wound. His wound still had shards of broken glass intact and Riya removed it one by one. She then beckoned Keiko to take the first aid kid in one of the cabinets and gave it to her. It took several minutes for her to stop the bleeding and treat it to avoid infection from getting inside. After that, she bandaged it. All the while, none of them had spoken anything at all even when Keiko started picking up the shards on the floor and threw it to the trash bin.

When it was done, Kurama looked at Riya. "Thank you… for doing this," he said gratefully, breaking the long and tensed silence surrounding them.

"I should be the one saying 'thank you' since you shielded me from Reina. And I'm sorry. Because of me, you got injured," Riya responded in an apologetic tone.

"This is nothing," Kurama said with a smile.

"Sheesh! I really hate it when I'm watching you two like this," Keiko suddenly commented after throwing off the last shard and dusted off her hands. The two were startled upon hearing that and they just burst out a short laugh.

After all that, the three decided to go home together. But while the two girls were talking, Kurama was having a telepathic conversation with Yumi with regards to what happened a while back.

_**Yumi, how does Riya managed to have information about Reina's past without even doing research of some sort?**_ He asked as he looked outside the window while walking on the hallway.

_**Did she touch something that was originally held by that girl Reina? Anything at all?**_

Kurama frowned at the question but then he tried to recall bits of details from the incident a while back. _**Now that I think about it, Riya was holding a paper when she entered the room. And she did mention something about forging the teacher's handwriting. It must have been the paper. But how does answer my question?**_

Yumi sighed audibly before answering. _**Riya actually possesses an unstable ability of psychometry and retrocognition that first activated when she was six.**_

_**Unstable? In what way?**_

_**Every time she touches something that was originally held or created by someone, she could see their past related to that particular thing she touched. But from my observations, she could only use that when a friend or a family is facing a sort of predicament with the involved person. That means it's not exactly sure when the ability will activate.**_

_**Will that ability cost her something?**_

_**Until now, I don't know. But she rarely uses that ability since she couldn't control it that well, besides the fact that she couldn't guess when will it activate. Tell me, why did you ask that?**_

_**I was just curious since I haven't see or heard Riya possessing psychometry.**_

_**I see. But I must say, there was one instance when her retrocognition or postcognitive ability would actually let someone have a look at a certain part of her past. A past that she wanted you to see.**_

Kurama was about to say something to that when he and Keiko suddenly felt dark energy inside the school grounds that made them stop. Before they knew it, the entire school building was immediately covered with blankets of ultraviolet black waves probably cast by the enemy.

The question was: who was the enemy doing this?

"This is bad. We're stuck in a pocket dimension," Keiko said as she grit her teeth and clenched her fist.

"Keiko-chan! Kurama! Riya!" Yumi called out before approaching from out of nowhere. "A demon shinobi did this. One that is of higher rank."

"I should've known," Keiko commented. "But with just the two of us, we can't dispel this dimension not unless someone would actually destroy the caster from the outside."

"No. The demon shinobi that cast this pocket dimension is inside," Yukari said as she appeared to them upon opening the door of one room of that floor. "And from what I can tell, he's going to attack us here for him to destroy Riya-senpai in her weakened form."

With that said, the three wielders faced their mistress who became worried and slightly scared in which Kurama sensed. In turn, he approached the said maiden and embraced her out of the blue.

"I won't let them hurt you, Riya. I promise. Not while I'm around," he whispered gently that made Riya somewhat calm. Riya let out an agreeing sound and nodded once as she buried her face to his chest.

The wielders smiled at that sight but then their senses were alerted when they felt an approaching enemy fast. But instead of the enemy itself, what greeted them was a pretty powerful blast of dark power that made all of them unable to firmly stand on ground and slammed them to the wall pretty hard. Kurama carried Riya beforehand so he was most likely the one who took the hit for her. The wielders and Kurama struggled to stand up after that, which they managed to do so.

"Are you alright?" Riya asked worriedly. Yumi smiled and nodded to ease her mistress' worries.

"That sick bastard!" Yukari said in seething teeth because of anger.

"Kurama, take Riya out of here. We'll be the one to deal with the enemy," Yumi ordered before materializing the Scarlet Blade of Flame on her hands.

It was later followed by Yukari and Keiko materializing the Harquebus of Sound and Spear of the Sky respectively onto their hands. And without a word, Kurama took Riya's hand and they left the place in a hurry.

"What about them?" Riya queried referring to the wielders geared up to face the enemy.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. Right now, it's you I should protect from those demon bastards and prevent them from going after you," Kurama answered without looking at her.

"But why?"

That question made Kurama stop running and looked at Riya. The girl had a serious look on her face.

"Why what?"

"Why are you protecting me this much? Am I that important to you, Shuichi-kun?" she asked that caught him off guard.

He avoided her stares and looked down before answering. "Of course, you're important to me. You're my… friend…" he said, the last word spoken almost in a pained whisper and tore his heart in two. No matter how much he denied it, it was still painful knowing that he could only treat her that way. "It doesn't matter how much you are important to me. As long as I protect you with all I've got and continue living in return, then that's all that matters. No matter what, I'll come back alive… to live and protect you all the way through."

A part of Riya was truly touched at Kurama's determination to ensure her safety, yet another bit of her was shocked to know that he would go such length to remain alive just to protect her.

But what exactly was her connection to Kurama for him to make such resolve? Was she really just a friend to him before? No. She knew she wasn't simply like that to Kurama.

But before Riya could even voice out her concern, Kurama felt another dark energy approaching from their right. And when they saw a dark beam fast approaching, Riya cast a large white barrier before it collided with the beam. But since she was in her weakened state, she couldn't continue holding on and eventually the barrier shattered before it hit her to the side. She was sent flying but Kuram caught her and both of them were slammed hard to the wall.

Kurama opened his eyes after that and looked at Riya on his arms. Surprise fueled his rage at the sight of the girl now unconscious and her left shoulder bleeding. A few seconds after, Riya slowly opened her eyes ams and smiled weakly to Kurama before he stood up and took out his Rose Whip. But since they couldn't guess where the enemy lies, they had not anticipated the second blast attack. Kurama struck the attack that only divided it and attacked them continuously. He then shielded Riya from it using his own body, not minding of the invicible projectiles injuring him intensively.

"Shuichi-kun, please stop! You don't have to shield me from this. I can destroy it for you!" Riya yelled as she stood up and approached Kurama.

After the attack dissipated, Kurama collapsed to his knees as he breathed heavily before facing the worried Riya.

"Didn't I tell you? I'll protect you no matter what," Kurama said with determination and his eyes narrowed facing the direction where the attack came from.

Kurama tried standing up despite his injuries with the help of Riya. Both of them sensed another incoming attack. That was when she summoned several white energy spheres and upon her command, Riya fired them from her position. The spheres of the energy barrage jetted towards the unknown target and eventually hit several projectiles with ease that was coming out front.

But anothere blast much more powerful than the preceeding ones collided with Riya's shots and destroyed them. And before they could evade, Kurama was sent flying and slammed on the wall pretty hard once more. Riya, on the other hand, suddenly emanated a white light as soon as the blast struck her, thus allowing her to be shielded from it.

Though unknown to her, that light engulfed the entire building and removed the waves of dark energy that trapped them in that pocket dimension. After that, the light died away and Riya dropped to her knees panting heavily before standing up and approached the unconscious Kurama. She scanned him, only to become extremely worried for him because of his wounds continuously bleeding. She then cradled his body on her arms.

That was when then three wielders arrived and saw her cradling Kurama.

"I guess he was slammed quite hard," Riya murmured as she looked at him. "I'm sorry, Shuichi-kun."

"It's not your fault, Riya-chan."

The four girls were startled at the voice so they looked around and they were surprised to see Miss Ryuuzaki coming towards them.

"But he was the one who kept on shielding me from those attacks. He was protecting me intensively and he doesn't care if he got injured because of that," Riya explained in slight frustration and worry.

"But he was only slammed to the wall. How come he's still unconscious? He should have been awake by now," Yukari commented and faced Yumi. The blonde just shrugged because she, too, found it quite unusual.

"That's because his consciousness was thrown off from his body to another dimension," Miss Ryuuzaki stated that confused and at the same time, surprised the four girls.

"Thrown off… to another dimension?"

"So in short, his mind is traveling somewhere?"

"Sort of. In any case, we need to put him to bed and wait until he wakes up," the teacher suggested.

The others nodded. With the help of Soujiro who had just arived from practice, they put Kurama to the bed in the clinic. Riya remained by the fox demon's side the entire time while holding his hand.

"You'll be alright, Shuichi-kun. You can't leave me behind," Riya murmured as she continued to look at the red head who was still unconscious. It was later followed with her hand gripping his tightly as a way to let him know she was there.

**-x-x-**

Kurama slowly opened his eyes and what greeted his sight was the dark blue sky with thick clouds looming. He found it weird since he remembered that he was at school defending Riya from the attack. But the moment the blast struck him, he felt himself being abruptly drifted off somewhere. After that, he lost consciousness.

He tried sitting up but was surprised at the sight that greeted him. The whole area was covered with blankets of white snow though he immediately realized that it wasn't a barren field. In fact, the place seemed so… familiar. He knew he had been to this place before but he couldn't remember where and when.

He scanned himself and found that he was still wearig his uniform and he was holding his whip.

"What is this place? And why does it feel like I've been here before?" he wondered to himself before deciding to walk away from that spot. All he had to do was to follow where the road in front of his would lead.

But before Kurama could even move a few feet away from the spot where he lied, he saw a figure approaching him. Based on the silhouette, he could tell that it was a woman wearing a long flowing dress.

His grip on his whip tightened as the figure continued to approach. And because the view was covered in mist, he couldn't make it out as to who it was. But all of a sudden, his eyes widened when both the view and the approaching figure started to become clear, causing him to drop his whip to the ground.

When the figure stopped a few feet in front of him, all he did was to utter the name of that figure who turned out to be someone he knew very well.


	38. Remnants Of Her True Memories

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters. I do own the plot, Riya and other OC's of this story, though. I only write for pleasure and fun—but a few reviews would surely pay off all my hard work on this one.

**Warning:** The characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

**NOTE for this chapter: **

***This*** means the vision

_*This*_ means thoughts

**-x-x-**

**AT LEAST WE HAVE FOREVER—Chapter 38: Remnants Of Her True Memories**

"Riya…? How come you're… here?"

The said maiden smiled sweetly and did a curtsy before she spoke.

"I'm glad you finally made it here, Kurama. Although, I must say that this is a little unexpected," Riya said with a smile.

Kurama frowned at that. "What do you mean? And what is this place, anyway?" he asked in confusion as he looked around.

"Don't you remember?" she asked in amusement. "Try recalling because this place is somewhere that's significant to the two of us."

The red head gave her a confused look but nodded and did what she asked. And upon analyzing the whole place, his eyes widened as a memory had struck him so fast.

"This is where we first met… where everything about us began.." he said with a nostalgic smile, finally remembering that important memory. But then, his face turned serious before facing Riya. "But what am I doing here? And how come I ended up here? I was supposed to be at school defending… you…"

Riya just gave him a reassuring smile and lifted her hand to touch his face.

"Don't worry, this won't take long. I'm just going to show you something for you to completely understand what I have done," she said seriously. He frowned at that but before he could say something about that, he saw Riya held his hand and smiled. "Let's go."

"Go where?" he asked.

Riya gently pulled Kurama and he just followed her. They continued traversing the snow-covered road until they reached the end of it where a bright light—a portal of some sort—awaited them. Without a word, both of them entered as he was unmindful of his heart beating unusually fast though he knew it wasn't a bad thing.

Walls of crystals in blazing red color greeted them both as they exited the portal. It was a surprising sight for Kurama since that was the first time he saw something like that.

"T-this is…"

"The Fire Crystal Hallway," Riyareplied as they continued to walk hand in hand. "One of the seven special hallways of the Alyssum Castle, each of which leads to different rooms of this castle."

"Seven special hallways? You mean each of the hallways represents that seven Legendary Weapons?"

Riya nodded as an answer to Kurama's question.

"Then this hallway represents the Dragon Sword of Flame?"

"You answered it well," Riya said. "The Fire Crystal Hallway will lead us to the Sacred Heart Room."

"But what are we going to do there?"

The maiden smiled faintly. "Don't worry. It's just that there's something you have to see there."

Kurama didn't know why but he had this urge inside of him saying that he could trust her, though he knew that the Riya beside him right now was just an illusion. They continued to walk through the Fire Crystal Hallway until they reached the end of it.

But it surprised him to see Yusuke and the others waiting outside the room.

"Yusuke? How come they're here?" he asked himself but when he looked at it even better, that was when he saw that the clothes worn by the group were the same ones during the battle of the first full moon.

"Don't tell me… This is a vision of the past?" he exclaimed but more to himself.

Riya nodded. "You finally figured it out."

"But… what does this vision has something to do with me? And why were they here?" he asked in slight confusion as he faced the said vision. He saw Yusuke walked back and forth in front of the door non-stop.

"**Yusuke-senpai, will you please stop walking already? I'll be having a headache just by looking at you back and forth," Yukari said as she rubbed her right temple. "No one will come out immediately even if you punch that door or walk in front of it back and forth."**

"**I just couldn't understand why Riya would only talk to Keiko if she could simply say what she had in mind to all of us," Yusuke complained grumpily.**

"**Not unless she was planning something and she figured that we'll stop her from doing so… whatever it is," Yumi commented nonchalantly.**

Kurama frowned upon hearing that before facing Riya. "If this has happened after they defeated the demon shinobi during the first of the two parts of the final battle, then where was I during this whole time?"

"We're about to head there," Riya uttered. And with that, she gripped his hand and passed by the people of that vision.

He saw Keiko went out of the room with a grave expression on her face. When he and Riya passed by Keiko, he heard the words she uttered in which he somehow knew was referring to him.

"**The second trial… I wonder how will he survive this…"**

_The second trial?_ But before Kuram could utter his concerns, he and Riya entered the room—or rather they passed through the door without even opening it. Though it caught him surprise, he didn't show it to his face.

But he was even more surprised to see the vision upon passing through the closed door completely. He saw himself lying on a rectangular crystal platform, his chest wound bled too much. Beside that lifeless form of his was the mourning Riya. And he could feel his heart constrict at the sight of those dried tears on her cheeks.

"I was in deep denial during those times. I couldn't even tell how much I've cried for you," Riya said in a soft tone. "So despite the intense pain it could inflict to your heart, I made that decision. I thought back then it was the only way for me not to feel that pain in my heart… to shield that fragile part of me from being crushed even further which might drive me insane sooner or later."

Kurama didn't say anything with regards to that, though. He just watched the vision in front of him unfold.

He saw Riya (the one in the vision) slowly went to the platform and sat beside his lifeless form. She leaned a little closer before touching his cheek. And then he heard her speak softly.

**"I'm sorry, Kurama…" Riya started, her voice began quivering. "I know you'll hate me after this. I can understand that. But… this is something I chose to do. So if you finally opened your eyes and see me once again, try to remain strong and live your life like you did before you met me. The only consolation I would get after this is that I won't know I will be the reason for the pain in your heart to exist by that time. I wouldn't know that I will be the reason for everything to change between us in a great deal. But please… Please try to understand. I'm only doing this for you. I'd rather lose you alive than dead…"**

Kurama her tears fell once again with a pained smile on her face. She then leaned closer to his lifeless body's face.

**"Just remember that I'll always love you, Kurama. No matter what trials may come to the two of us from now on, whatever circumstances that may come and separate us again, I know I'll always end up falling in love with you. But if that didn't happen at all, please… try to bear the pain alone and move on. Do it for me, for both of us… Okay?" Riya whispered before planting a soft yet long kissas her tears leaked to her face even more.**

After that, Kurama found himself being drawn to the bright light in which it eventually engulfed him. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and found himself back on the field of snow—to the spot where he and Riya actually first met five and a half years ago.

He faced the maiden beside him and looked at her with questioning gaze.

"What was that? And why did you make me see that?" Kurama asked.

Riya looked at him sadly before she sat on the bench that he didn't know it was there. She heaved a sigh before speaking.

"Because I want you to understand the sacrifice that I've done just to bring you back to life. I know it was hard to accept but it's the only way," she said.

"I was trying to understand that but it's so hard," he responded truthfully and then he sighed. "By the way, what kind of dimension is this?"

"It's not a dimension. You're inside of her heart right now."

"Her?"

Riya nodded. "The me outside."

"Then this place is…"

"It was located in the deepest corner of her heart where she kept the remnants of her true memories. In other words, there's still a part of her that still remembers you and wouldn't let her forget about you completely. It was only sealed," Riya revealed that surprised him.

"So there's still a possibility that her memories will return?"

The maiden nodded once more. "Yes, there is. But you must find the one item which will become the trigger for those memories to return. And you must give it to her on the eve of this month's second full moon."

"You mean, before the predicted second battle? But the second full moon of the month will be… a week and a half from now."

"I know you'll find it. Just trust your heart."

"But how will I be able to find it?"

But the maiden just looked at him sadly and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that. You must find it on your own. That is a part of your second trial."

Kurama sighed and sat on the bench before facing Riya. "If I can't give it to her by the eve of the second full moon, what will happen?"

"She'll never remember you anymore… along with the others. Along with that, all of those who knew her will never remember her at all. In other words, you'll be bound to forget her forever," Riya answered sadly.

_Forget her? I'll forget Riya for good? No way! There's no way I'll allow that to happen. Not a chance!_ He thought.

"But how will I know if she finally remembered me?" Kurama asked after a few seconds of silence.

"She's calling you now by your human name and not as Kurama, right?"

Kurama pondered on it for a while and nodded soon after. "But how did that answer my question?"

"She wasn't referring to you as Kurama even though she has an idea that it's your real name. Somehow, she could feel that by mentioning that name would trigger something she couldn't tell yet. But here's something you must remember. By the time she would call you by your demon name will be the say she would finally remember everything else that is connected to you and this war."

"And that would be the time I gave her the item you're talking about?" It was more of a statement rather than a question. Riya nodded and then stood up.

"You have to go back now," she said.

Kurama stood up and faced Riya. "Riya… I…" But for some reason, he couldn't say what he wanted to say to her.

"I know you can do it, Kurama," Riya said encouragingly with a smile as she lifted her hand and touched his cheek.

He covered her hand on his cheek with his own, tilted his head and kissed it softly. She smiled sadly at the sight.

"I know it's really hard for you. But I guess this might help you, so please remember. No matter how many times she will forget everything about you, in the end I know she'll always end yp falling in love with you… over and over. Don't worry. Even if her memories about the war did return, the curse of her powers would not. Just survive this second trial on your own. I know you can."

Kurama nodded and smiled. "I will."

After that, they shared a long passionate kiss as they sealed each other's promise to be together once again… no matter what it takes to do so…

**-x-x-**

_**Hanasakura Academy's school clinic…**_

It had been two hours that passed since they laid Kurama on the bed but until now, he hadn't woken up yet. Yusuke, Akane, Noboru, Hiei, Ayako, and Kuwabara were informed of the situation through Yukari's long-distance telepathy. After several minutes, the six aforementioned people arrived.

Riya, on the other hand, didn't bother to leave Kurama's side and she continued to hold his hand the whole time. Each minute that passed, she was getting too worried that Kurama won't wake up and afraid that his consciousness would be trapped in whatever dimension it was at the time.

Mizz Ryuuzaki already had an idea what happened to Kurama but she didn't tell it to the group yet. She needed to have a confirmation from Kurama himself with regards to her speculation.

All of them waited a few minutes more before Kurama finally regained consciousness. Riya was happy to see him awake and she couldn't prevent her tears from falling because of that. When he sat up, she jumped to his arms and hugged him tightly that surprised Kurama. Nevertheless, he hugged her in return.

"I'm sorry. I guess I made you worry," Kurama said in a soft tone.

"It's alright, as long as you're okay," she responed and tightened her embrace to him. Kurama could feel her trembling and so he kissed her hair.

**-x-x-**

After that, Riya decided to head home alone to secretly prepare for the date with Kurama the day after tomorrow. As for the rest of the group, they decided to head out to Miss Ryuuzaki's house which was just beside a shrine wherein the teacher was unknowingly working there as a shrine priestess (miko).

"Wow! I never knew a teacher like you would actually be a miko. But why did you bring us here?" Yusuke asked to the teacher as soon as they seated when they entered the house.

But instead of answering Yusuke's question, Miss Ryuuzaki looked at Kurama before speaking.

"What happened to you the whole time you were unconscious? I felt that, though you're alive here, your consciousness was driven somewhere."

Kurama sighed and it took him a while before he decided to answer the teacher's question.

"There's still a way to help Riya retrieve her lost memories," he said that surprised the group.

"This is… your second trial, Kurama?" Keiko asked and he nodded as an answer.

"Alright, you're losing us here. What second trial? And how will you be able to retrieve her memories?' Kuwabara asked.

But Kurama remained silent.

"Riya's postcognitive ability activated during the battle and your consciousness was sent to the past that she wanted you to see," Yumi said nonchalantly and the fox demon nodded.

With that, he recounted the events that happened the whole time his consciousness traveled using Riya's unstable postcognitive ability.

"An item that could become a trigger for her memories to return? What could that be?" Ayako inquired with a frown after Kurama finished his storytelling.

The red head just shook his head. "She didn't tell me. She said that I must figure it out on my own and give it to her on the eve of this month's second full moon… On the eve of our second battle with Erithea and the demon shinobi…"

_And to think the second battle will happen the day after Riya's 17__th__ birthday… What the hell was that girl thinking?_ Yumi sighed after that thought came to her mind.

"Did she say any specific description of the item you're looking for?" Soujiro asked after a few moments of silence. But Kurama shook his head sadly before he took a seed from his hair.

When he looked at it for a few seconds, that was when he thought of the answer to the questions that he had with regards to the item in question. And with that, he left the teacher's house in a rush.

Now he knew what he would give to Riya on the eve of the second full moon, though he wasn't sure if it would really return Riya's memories.

As for the others, they were looking at Kurama who suddenly rushed out of the house with a puzzled look on their faces. They exchanged glances at each other after that.

"What happened to him?" Kuwabara asked curiously.

The wielders, in turn, just shrugged when they couldn't figure out an answer to that.

**-x-x-**

**Late update, I know, and I'm really sorry for that. By the way, thank you to those who still add this story to their favorites and alerts. Of course, I have to thank those who reviewed this story. They're still very much appreciated even though there are only a few. **

**Can you please tell me what you think about this story and this chapter? I need inspiration to write, that's why I want to know it through your reviews. Please? :)**


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